Age of Heroes
by Viperwatcher
Summary: Kinus Hazani always dreamed of becoming a hero. But as with all hero stories, there are villains, and they have grown tired. The age of heroes has gone on for far too long. Can Kinus and the rest of Class-1A successfully overcome the trials and tribulations before them? Or would their dreams be cut short? UPDATES REGULARLY. R&R PLEASE.
1. Chapter 1 Heavy Start

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 1

Heavy Start

The rays of the morning sun were shining down upon the numerous students that were walking through the archway of the esteemed educational institution that was known as UA Academy.

A place for aspiring heroes who dreamed of greatness, of doing good and showing the world what they can do and how to make it a better place for all. Teens from around the country flocked here in hopes of getting in, as UA's track record showed that it was almost a requirement to be an alumni here to be considered one of the best. After all, the hero of the people, All Might, graduated here. He was the symbol of justice, and many young men and women aspired to be THE hero, just like him.

One aspiring hero stood amongst the mass of students, his blue scales shining brightly in the morning sun. The young boy looked at the piece of document he held in his hand, gaze moving to look at UA then back down again. He smiled, thankful that he didn't get lost and he actually found the school correctly. The paper in his hand contained his name, Kinus Hazani.

Kinus nodded to himself and began to walk forward, passing through the golden archway. His entire body was shaking with anticipation, a certain electricity coursing through him as he thought of what examinations they were going to go through. The other students around him seemed quite as pumped as he was. Others were chatting animatedly with one another, they themselves discussing what the tests could be about. A few were just silent, looking serious and seemingly contemplating something heavily. Kinus paid them no heed and kept a strong positive attitude. It was a test, and like all tests, he'd just have to do well to pass them. One thing of note, however, was that he couldn't shake the feeling of people seemingly trying to burn a hole in his back. A few students were eyeing him both with curiosity and what felt like sizing him up. He shook his head. The spirit of competition in the air was fierce, UA's enrollment only allowed a select handful of students, so it was obvious that everyone was out to get everyone else.

Either that or they were just fascinated in seeing a dragon walking amongst them. Probably both.

The large imposing building of UA was fast approaching and Kinus found himself craning his head to just try and get the entire facility in his eyesight. Large glass walls lined the entire place, all clean and tidy, shimmering nicely in the rays of the sun. Kinus eventually reached the main entrance of the facility and happened to run across a pair of students at the front. One was a brown haired girl with a pink scarf and another was a green haired boy who was...floating in the air.

The green haired boy floated back down and stood on his two legs once more.

"Sorry about that," the girl chimed in. "I had to use my Quirk. I figured you wouldn't mind."

The green haired boy continued to look flustered, as the girl said, "Isn't this all nerve wracking?" She then smiled. "Well I guess I'll see you inside! Bye!" The boy stood there looking dumbfounded as he watched the girl leave.

"Everything alright?" Kinus asked, approaching the green haired boy.

"Uh, y-yeah, yeah, everything's…"

Kinus waited nervously as the young boy turned around.. He was half expecting him to be surprised by someone like him, and decided to just smile earnestly and present his best foot forward. But the look of shock his mind trained him to expect never came and instead he was greeted with a look of awe and curiosity.

"...fine," the green haired boy said, looking at him. "I just nearly tripped and the girl saved me."

"Ah," Kinus said. "Try to be careful next time. It'd be bad luck if you fell or so that's what they tell me."

The boy laughed nervously, and Kinus got the gist that this kid was somewhat sheepish and timid, especially from his body language. "Yeah, and that would be the last thing I need." He then blinked and smiled at Kinus. "Midoriya, it's Izuku Midoriya. Nice to meet you."

"Hazani. Kinus Hazani." The dragon extended a hand towards the young boy. "Is that your Quirk then?"

Midoriya visibly jumped at the question. "Q-Quirk?"

"Yeah, with you floating earlier? Was that your Quirk?"

He raised his hand up and waved them in front of Kinus. "Oh! No-no! It's not, but that would be cool though!"

"Must have been the girl's..." Kinus mumbled to himself.

Quirks were always a fascinating thing. Quirks were what made heroes, literally. Renowned heroes like Endeavor for example, whose only 2nd to All Might in terms of ranking, is well known for his Hell Flame Quirk. It was the ability to create and freely control fire. An obviously strong Quirk, and even made stronger in Endeavor's capable hands. Quirks came in all shapes and sizes, some more prominent than others.

"How about you?" Kinus promptly asked. "Can I ask what your Quirk is?"

The color on Midoriya's face seemingly melted away, leaving him ghostly white. A cold sweat washed over him and he looked like he was going to collapse. "M-my Quirk?" he stammered it out. He twiddled his thumbs, nervously tapping his fingers against one another in a somewhat frenzied and panicked state. "I-it's...well...you see…how do I put this…" It was like he was trying to decide whether he was going to tell Kinus the meaning of life or not.

"I mean, if you want to keep it a secret for now, it's fine," Kinus said in an effort to calm the young boy. "I'll just be more eager to see you show it off later!"

It seemed to have an opposite effect on Midoriya, turning more paler, rivalling that of a ghost. Kinus clapped him on the back gently. "Come on, let's go. We're going to be late if we keep standing around here."

Midoriya gulped. "Y-yeah…"

The auditorium was large. Rows upon rows of chairs lined Kinus's view as they entered through the double doors and quite a few students were already there, chatting with one another. He glanced at his documents. "My seat number is 1337, what seat number are you Midoriya?"

The green haired boy looked at his number. "I'm 2234. I guess we're far, huh?"

"Seems like it." Kinus smiled at Midoriya. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Midoriya. Best of luck, alright?" He extended a hand out to his new found friend.

"Same goes to you, Hazani."

Midoriya then began to climb up the steps whilst Kinus walked downstairs, heading towards his row of seats. It wasn't that far and before long, he was walking forward on his row, looking for his appropriate seat number. "Excuse me...excuse me...sorry about that…" The dragon just smiled apologetically at the students he was passing over. It was a bit of a tight squeeze into the row given his larger stature than his fellow students. Nonetheless, he made it through his seat, finding the vacant chair with his number on it.

Conveniently enough, the orientation started and a pro hero appeared on stage.

"HEY EVERYBODY! It's me! Your school DJ! Present Mic! Come on and let me hear you!"

Kinus cocked his head to the side. It would seem Present Mic's energy wasn't translating well to the room given that the only response he got was dead silence. Everyone was clearly on edge thinking about the examinations that were soon going to follow.

The crazy yellow haired hero sighed, and shook his head. "Alright, that's fine. We can keep it on the down low for now. We can rock out later after all of this is over. For now, let's get straight to the point!"

The large screen behind Present Mic came to life and began to serve as a visual aid as the hero explained the mechanics behind their test for today. Kinus paid close attention, not wanting to miss anything important. He could even feel his seatmate lean forward, hands clasping together in a show of concentration.

"On your documents should be listed what battle centers you're going to be taking part in."

Kinus looked down on his and saw that he was to take the test at Battle Center D.

"What you're actually going to do is fight faux villains." Three silhouettes began to flash on the screen, each with their designated number on the top. "All you have to do is defeat as many of these robots as you can, racking up points in the process. Take them down with your Quirks! Easy peasy, right?"

Kinus nodded. "That seems simple enough. I just have to beat as many of them as I can in the amount of time that we're given…"

Kinus's seatmate sighed thoughtfully then muttered, "I'm sure there's going to be more to it than that."

The dragon glanced at his fellow student and saw that it was a hybrid, much like he was. This student had a bird's head, with black feathers and a yellow beak. He could see what looked like a choker on his neck that he assumed was meant to hide the area where his bird feathers became human skin.

"You think so?" Kinus asked, idly listening to Present Mic continue on with his explanation in the background.

Realizing that Kinus was talking to him, the bird turned to face him. "It seems like it. Because if not, that seems way too straightforward. UA's known for their quality, so I'm sure there are going to be other criteria they're watching for." He placed his hand on his chin in a thoughtful manner. "Then again, I could just be overthinking things…"

Kinus nodded, realizing the bird person had a point. "We'll just have to go with our instinct and do our best. Seems reasonable?"

"You have a point there."

"Thank you student number 7111, that is a valid question, and I have an answer for you." The screen flashed again and this time showed a robot with zero points attached to it. Present Mic then explained, saying, "this fourth enemy you'll be encountering will have zero points attached to it. Yes, that's right, zero. You can destroy it if you want to, but there's pretty much no point. Think of it as only an obstacle you'll have to face while you're out there doing your best to rack up points!"

"Well this should be interesting," the bird person said.

"Nervous?" Kinus asked.

He shook his head in response. "I'm just excited to see if my training is going to pay off. You?"

"A bit nervous. I'm still a bit jet lagged, so hopefully that doesn't mess with my balance." Kinus grinned sheepishly. "It's Kinus by the way," he added, holding out a dragonic hand to the bird person. "Kinus Hazani."

The student looked at his hand for a brief moment, then smiled and shook it. "Fumikage Tokoyami."

"Which battle center was assigned to you anyways? If you don't mind me asking."

Tokoyami turned to look at his documentation and answered, "Battle Center D."

The lights around the auditorium turned on and Present Mic loudly announced for them to do their best. "And remember, to give it your all! Don't forget the school motto! PLUS ULTRA!"

The students began to file out and Kinus and Tokoyami did the same. "It looks like we'll be going together then." Kinus chuckled lightly. "I'm at Battle Center D as well."

Tokoyami looked neither pleased nor worried. Kinus could tell that the bird wasn't the most expressive of people. Either that or he was just so focused on the examination that he didn't want to break concentration. The gravity of which was not lost on Kinus. Tokoyami eventually responded and let out what Kinus could best describe was a small smile. "Good luck to the both of us."

The bus ride to Battle Center D was probably the longest ride in Kinus's entire life. The tension in the air was so thick, he could probably pierce it with his horns if he tried. Everyone around him were either deep in thought, clearly contemplating strategies, whilst others looked nervous, but was doing their best to smile and were quietly muttering words of encouragement to themselves. Tokoyami was seated next to him, quiet and his eyes closed. If it weren't for the fact that he had his arms crossed and were lightly tapping his fingers on his shoulders, Kinus would have assumed Tokoyami had fallen asleep. Nonetheless, Kinus used this time to get a better glimpse of his surroundings and, if only briefly, admire the scenery and the sheer size of UA.

UA's campus size was enormous and bigger than he thought. The fact that they had six fully constructed city sized battle centers as testing facilities was a testament to the school's level of quality. Again, it was no surprise why people clamored to get into UA's hero program. It bred amazing heroes and they had the actions to back it up. Kinus could already see the towering buildings beginning to form at the distance and he felt his excitement swell.

"Well, I think we're here…" he quietly mumbled, and could feel Tokoyami move slightly.

"Finally," the bird mumbled.

The bus slowly came to life as well, with the students beginning to chat more animatedly. It seemed everyone was ready for this and was roaring to get a chance to get started. The bus eventually stopped to a halt and the doors swung open. The students filed out one by one, a few rushing towards the front of the starting line, eager to get good starting positions. A large towering gate was open, giving them a clear glimpse into the faux city within.

Tokoyami stepped out, his black jacket fluttering slightly in the wind. The bird did some light stretches as Kinus stood next to him. Compared to Tokoyami who was sporting a seemingly full black attire with his hoodie and gray jeans, Kinus opted to just wear something more comfortable, having a simple blue shirt and his trusty jeans. He didn't have a tracksuit or anything sporty back at home so he had to make do. At the very least, he was comfortable and his clothing didn't hinder him at all in fighting.

He followed Tokoyami's example, stretching his arms and legs and doing some basic warm up. The last thing he wanted was to have a cramp whilst running through the "city streets". The entire facility was bigger in person. It had a building high wall that locked the action inside, but it stretched as far as the eye can see. The fact that they had six of these things never ceased to amaze Kinus.

Then, a loud familiar booming voice grabbed their attention.

"What are you guys standing around their for?!" It was Present Mic, and his image was being projected onto a large TV screen. "Time's being wasted and villains are already running around! Go, go,go!"

An earthquake seemingly rumbled across the ground as the large crowd of students began to make a break for it, each and every single one trying their damndest to get a head start on the competition. Even Kinus was taken slightly aback at the sudden rush that washed over everyone. But it soon came to pass as he realized that this was no time to be standing around. His chance to become a hero was within his grasp, and he wasn't going to let anyone take that away from him. As he began to move, Kinus briefly looked around to find that Tokoyami was already gone. Kinus didn't linger on the thought and focused on the task at hand. It was time to show what he was made off.

His legs carrying him, he quickly assessed the situation. The whole crowd was moving to what he assumed was the center of the testing area. It wouldn't be dumb to think that area would be the most concentration of robots, but it wouldn't be smart to think you'd be the only one to think of that. No, there would be too many people there and thus your chances of getting a score would be lowered since competition would be fierce. Kinus figured he had to break away from the pack and do his best to pick off stragglers, or at best, stumble into a group of robots for easy points. He spotted an alleyway in the corner and immediately made a break for it. The rest of the students stampeded towards the center, eventually leaving him by his own lonesome.

"Okay…Hopefully this gamble works." The next thing he realized was that he needed to put things into his advantage. Kinus wasn't a stranger to fighting. He knew how to fight. But, as his mentor taught him, the best and fastest way to win a fight was to make everything be in your favor as much as possible. "I need water."

Kinus made his way through the dark empty alleyway, arriving onto the empty street. There was literally no one in sight, student or robot, but the sounds of action were already beginning to ring in the air. Loud explosions, the sound of machine grinding against machine and what seemed like fireworks were already emanating from the distance. The rest of the students were already racking up points! Kinus needed to move fast or else he was going to be left behind.

The dragon looked around, looking for any source of water. A stark red fire hydrant shining like a beacon of color against the drab concrete caught his attention. The dragon beamed, and started rushing towards the fire hydrant. Just then, a rumbling shook the ground, threatening to throw Kinus off balance.

"What the?!"

One of the buildings towards the side of the fire hydrant exploded outwards, showering him and everything around him with a mix of flying dust and debris. The tell tale sight and sound of robotic machinery rang across the empty street, almost like a deafening roar. Kinus briefly froze, the dragon taking a moment to process things. Then he cracked a smile.

"Well that made things easier!"

The large machine began to charge up, energy gathering at the tip of its eye sockets and beginning to glow a deathly red. Kinus moved quickly, running towards the fire hydrant. Like it was as simple as breathing, he reached deep within him and made use of his innate quirk. The water from inside the fire hydrant responded to him, answering his beck and call. Using his mind to picture what he wanted to happen, the water reacted accordingly, doing so obediently like a follower to a leader. The fire hydrant exploded, a large amount of pressurized water beginning to stream out. But instead of reaching outwards to the sky, it followed Kinus's orders, betraying the laws of physics like they were nothing than a nuisance and bent its stream, directing itself towards the machine.

The overwhelming pressure toppled the machine's balance, staggering it. It fired its charged up laser but missed Kinus completely, hitting a building behind him. The dragon jumped into the air, using his dragon strength to propel him high into the sky. Water followed him as he called it, quickly freezing into the shape of his most trusted weapon.

"TAKE THIS!"

Gravity pulling him down, the dragon charged, rocketing with a now fully formed dragonic halberd of his creation, shimmering in the morning sun as the rays bounced off the clear, solid and sturdy ice. A loud crash soon followed, the metal bending in defeat, unable to withstand the crushing force of the hammer end of his halberd. Kinus quickly jumped back, the robot exploding into a heap of metallic mess. One of the metal plates flew and landed a few feet from him, a number three painted clear as day on it.

"Three points. Not bad."

Just then, more robots decided to enter the fray, the building behind Kinus exploding into a mass of rubble as two robots spawned.

The blue dragon grinned. "Must be my lucky day!" He spun his halberd in a flourish before charging head first into the robots. Unlike the previous one however, these two were faster, and were quick to throw out their attacks at him. Rubber pellets flew through the air and Kinus was quick to duck behind a nearby mailbox for some cover. Not skipping a beat, he manipulated the gushing water from the fire hydrant and directed it towards the robots. The small tidal wave froze in an instant, rendering the machines incapable of moving. Using this to his advantage, Kinus popped out of his cover and threw his halberd straight at the robots. The ice cold weapon whistled through the air and skewered the two metal behemoths, exploding in a shower of scrap metal.

The dragon cheered, raising his fist in a brief moment of celebration. The water from the nearby forming puddle floated towards him and morphed into his trusty dragonic halberd, good as new. Kinus held his weapon tightly in his hand. There were many more robots to take and time was ticking. The dragon broke into a light sprint eager to find his next target to take.

The street up ahead soon became what looked like a battlefield. Numerous broken robots littered the streets. The smell of smouldering metal and what Kinus could best assume was the smell of acid permeating the air. There were holes in the road that resembled grenade craters and various other handiwork that told the dragon that various students have already passed through here. The sounds of fighting up ahead clued him in on where majority of the heated fights were happening. Kinus stopped and allowed himself to think. Where else could he go to try and pick fights? He could try his luck with the rest of the other students and see if he could get some points there, or he could just gamble once again and take the side streets and see if any other robots spawn. Either way, time was ticking and the dragon didn't have much time left to decide.

As if fate making the choice for him, the sound of gears grinding and bullets being fired echoed from the nearby side street. Kinus's legs moved before he could even think about his decision. The dragon raced towards it, but stopped to a halt when a loud rumble began to shake the floor. Spider like cracks began to make itself known on the building walls, and it was clear to him that this building was going to collapse in on itself. Kinus was about to make himself scarce when the sound of fighting stopped him.

Someone's still inside!

The dragon broke into a sprint, charging head first into the collapsing structure, wasting no time whatsoever. Dust was beginning to drop from the ceiling as Kinus navigated the surprisingly empty and spacious building, using the sounds of fighting to guide him. There, at the center was none other than Fumikage Tokoyami, taking down a robot. With him was a black shadow like creature that was in the shape of a crow, doing its best to keep the robots at bay. But by sheer dumb luck, the robot managed to break through the black crow's defenses, swatting him away and having him crash into one of the building's pillars.

"Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami shouted in worry.

The robot made a break towards Tokoyami who was rushing over to his companion. Kinus could see that the bird wasn't at his best, as the hybrid was limping slightly. It was just Kinus's luck to see the young bird stagger, before losing his balance. He was left wide open and the robot was just about to unload a healthy amount of bullets into his general direction.

"Oh no you don't!" he shouted grabbing the robot's attention enough to distract it. Raising his hand up, his halberd morphed in an instant. The frozen weapon melted in his fingers to form a throwing axe. The dragon swung his hand outwards, sending the throwing axe flying through the air and colliding head on with the mechanical assailant. It toppled downwards, completely dead and lifeless.

"We have to get out here," Kinus said, running towards Tokoyami. "Can you walk?"

"I can," Tokoyami answered, muscling through the pain. "I just sprained my ankle a bit when I was trying to get a better angle at them." His shadow like companion was nowhere to be found however. But Kinus didn't linger on the thought. He'd ask questions later.

Another rumble shook the floor and the nearby pillar next to them began to collapse. "Come on! We have no time to waste!" Without even waiting for Tokoyami's approval, Kinus grabbed hold of the bird's arm and slung it over his own shoulder for support. "The entire building is about to collapse!"

The dragon then supported Tokoyami who was doing his best to move as fast as he could. Just then, a large chunk of the ceiling cracked wide open and Kinus barely even registered the falling debris. There wasn't enough time to react to it! But then a blur of black coursed through the air and smacked the falling concrete out of the way, and Kinus found himself staring at the black crow from earlier. A look of fierce determination was in the bird's yellow eyes.

"Go!" it shouted.

The dragon continued walking, the entire ceiling behind them collapsing. The pair managed to get out in just the nick of time as the walls came crashing down behind them, showering them in more dust and debris. After making it safely into the center of the street was when Kinus decided to slow down and actually take a breather. He gently lowered Tokoyami to the ground who thanked him.

"That was a close one!" Kinus grinned, his body coming down from the adrenaline.

The black shadow creature manifested behind Tokoyami. "You handle yourself pretty well, dragon boy."

Kinus paused, cocking his head towards the side. In between panting breaths, he asked, "Dragon boy?"

The black shadow like crow assisted Tokoyami as he stood up, and he let his companion lean on him for support. "Thank you, Hazani."

"I could say the same to you." Kinus spared a curious glance at the shadow like figure who had his arms crossed on his chest, returning his curious glance back at him. "You should introduce me next time," he said.

"I'll introduce you properly next time. For now, his name's Dark Shadow." Tokoyami answered.

The two of them began to walk towards the center street, looking for more robots to pummel. "How many do you think are even left?" Kinus dared to ask, forming his halberd from a nearby water puddle before grabbing it tightly.

"I'm sure there's only a few left. Time is already running out," Tokoyami answered, flicking some dust off his shoulder jacket.

"I think we took out enough robots," Dark Shadow added. "I'm awesome and all, but I'm getting tired from all of this."

That was when the ground began to shake once more.

"What now?" Kinus exasperated, looking around for the cause of the shaking. From up ahead, a large crowd of students began to be running towards them. Horrified and scared expressions were on their faces, some shouting in fear as they ran past them. "Where in the world are they all going?"

"Uh, Hazani…" Tokoyami muttered, slowly backing away.

"What is it Tokoyami…" The dragon turned around and saw what made the bird speechless. "You have got to be kidding…"

A few meters ahead of them was a robot almost as tall as the buildings itself, and was practically rampaging. It immediately occured to the both of them that this was the zero point robot that was best for them to just avoid and not confront directly. That was going to prove difficult seeing as they were right in its target trajectory and headed straight at them.

"We have to…" The dragon turned to his companion who was already a few steps ahead of him. "Okay, we're on the same page then!"

The two of them began to head towards the general direction where everyone was running ahead. The shaking became more intense, spider like cracks made itself clear on the road. Shouts and screams of frightened students rang around them. Everyone was clearly panicking in an effort to get to safety to avoid getting in the way of the gigantic robot. The ground shook once more as the robot was beginning to gain on them, and the unthinkable happened.

"Help!"

Kinus stopped in his tracks, hearing the cry for help among the chaos happening. It was faint, and quite frankly easy to miss with all the madness that was ensuing but it was there. The dragon turned his head to find who it was shouting, and saw where it was. It was a girl who got caught under some rubble as she was running away. From the corner of his eyes he already saw a familiar black blur come to her aide.

Tokoyami selflessly threw himself into danger, pushing the debris off of the girl in an effort to rescue her. It was a success, as the girl managed to run free, but at a cost. The robot had gained ground and its legs were now poised to crush Tokoyami under its feet. He didn't even have enough of a chance to get away as the machine's big leg came down on him. It would have been a horrific sight if it weren't for Dark Shadow manifesting immediately and began to hold it upwards, with Tokoyami struggling underneath. It was clear to Kinus that the two of them were going to get crushed if no one did something.

If he didn't do something.

...You're freaking crazy, Kinus!

The dragon's vision tunneled and his hearing lowered until he thought he was deaf, only able to hear the sound of his exhausted breathing and the frantic beating of his heart. The dragon's body moved of its own accord, launching himself towards Tokoyami who was desperately trying to escape. Focus and determination in his eyes, Kinus was at Tokoyami's side, his reliable halberd in hand. Without skipping a beat, he jammed his halberd onto the ground and used that as leverage to get the weight off of Dark Shadow. One word escaped his lips as he looked at Tokoyami.

"GO!"

He could feel his halberd quiver and threaten to crumble under the sheer weight of the robot. It was only through his sheer will, and unwavering focus that the ice was holding strong enough to last as it did. Kinus watched as Tokoyami stood and desperately hobble to a nearby alley, looking back at him with genuine concern. The dragon was to follow suit, but the sound of what seemed like glass breaking rang in his ears, and Kinus knew what was to happen next.

The last thing Kinus heard was Tokoyami crying out his name.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **It's been a long time folks.**

 **For those who still remember who I am, yes, I am still alive. I went on hiatus after the Undertale story because that didn't really pan out as much. After watching My Hero, I was captivated by the world and couldn't help myself. Writing this story out (I have a few stock chapters already), it felt like I was a young again. haha. Yeah, this story features an OC. While the characters of the show are well fleshed out and whatnot, it's always easier to write a story with a character of your own creation. I hope you guys like Kinus. :D**

 **I hope you guys enjoy this story!**

 **One final thing: this fanfic follows the timeline of the anime. I personally don't know much of what happens after Season 2 (save for a few sparse details), but I am planning on reading up on the manga after Season 3 finishes airing. Very excited for that!**


	2. Chapter 2 Present Matters

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 2

Present Matters

Kinus woke with a start, bolting upright in his bed as his heart beat like a drum. His surroundings were vague as he blinked some, then his vision cleared to show him a room he recognized. He was in a clinic of sorts, and he was lying on one of the beds in it. There was a window open to let a gentle breeze waft in and it showed him that the sun was already setting, orange streaks filling the sky. It was a picture perfect sight. His ears twitched upon hearing the sound of a chair moving backwards followed by footsteps. A hand slid the privacy blinds on his bed, revealing an elderly woman, probably someone old enough to be Kinus's grandmother. She pulled up a seat and placed her cane, which was fashioned as a syringe, towards the side and glanced at the dragon. Kind, gentle eyes looked at him behind the superhero designed visor she had on her head.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm…" Kinus rasped, just now noticing how parched he was. "Thirsty," he croaked. "Can I have some water?"

"Oh," the old lady said, "let me grab you something to drink." She stood up, walked over to the side and opened a refrigerator from underneath her desk. She grabbed a bottle of water before walking back and handing it to Kinus. The dragon thanked her accordingly and he gulped it down, feeling the cool liquid refresh his entire body. After emptying the bottle in his hand, Kinus felt alive again. His scales were beginning to return to their normal blue hue. "Thank you…" then he realized he didn't exactly knew who his nurse was. "Who are you exactly?" he asked sheepishly.

The old lady chuckled. "I am Recovery Girl. I'm in charge of making sure students of UA aren't hurt during their hero training exercises while they are here in UA."

Students of UA… Kinus blinked, his memory coming back at him in a flash. "The entrance exam!" he cried out. "W-what happened?"

"Relax, Hazani," the elderly woman said in a soft, calming tone. "The entrance exams are over. Everyone headed home after it. The results will be released after a week." Her kind expression shifted to that of a reproachful one as she said, "I swear, you kids are getting more and more reckless as the years go by. I just had one student break all his bones trying to fend off that zero point robot and now I have you nearly getting crushed underneath one of them." She shook her head. "Thankfully one of the teachers immediately got you out of there before anything seriously happened."

Kinus wasn't sure what to say and just ended up apologizing for his reckless behavior. Recovery Girl dismissed him however. "While I'm understandably angry at what you did, I can't nag you for doing the right thing." Recovery Girl smiled at Kinus. "Being a hero means putting yourself in harm's way for the sake of others." The dragon felt his chest swell with pride from the praise he got from the pro hero. But that immediately dissipated when Recovery Girl set him straight by saying, "but a reckless hero would be no help to anyone. Remember, we need heroes, not martyrs."

Kinus nodded, heeding the elderly woman's words. "I understand ma'am."

"Good." She then stood up and walked back to her desk. "Are you feeling better enough to move, Kinus?"

"I am." The dragon slung his legs towards the side of the bed and began to regain his footing. He pulled his socks and shoes back on, eager to get back on his feet.

"Well, that's good to hear. I've already called your mother to inform her of your situation. She were understandably worried about you, and she's coming to pick you up."

"Ah, I see. Thanks," Kinus replied, standing on his two legs once again. He went over to the side and grabbed his things, which was nothing more than the pack he was carrying when he entered school earlier this morning. He was about to head to the door when Recovery Girl stopped him. The dragon turned around and the pro hero was rummaging at the desk.

"A student earlier left this note for you," she said, handing him the letter that was folded. "He told me to make sure to give it to you when you woke up." She smiled at him. "Be careful now, alright? Your mother will be waiting for you at the entrance."

"I will. Thank you, Recovery Girl."

In a few minutes, Kinus found himself standing outside the golden arches that marked the entrance of UA once more. The fact that he was standing here earlier this morning felt like nothing more than a distant memory at this point. Even after being out cold for hours on end, his body still felt heavy and he wanted nothing more than to rest at his bed back at home. Just then, a car pulled up by the curb and honked at him. The door opened and out came a dragoness.

"Kinus!" she cried out, rushing over and pulling him into a hug. "Thank goodness you are safe!"

Kinus smiled, hugging back his own mother in a loving embrace. The young dragon quickly reassured his deeply concerned mother who was busy giving him loving nuzzles. "I'm fine, mom, really."

His mom eventually gave him his personal space once again and the two of them got into their vehicle. A few minutes later, they were on the road and Kinus's mom, Ruby, took this chance to talk to her son. "What happened?" she asked pointedly.

The dragon sighed, resting his head on the back rest. "They did call you right?"

"Yeah, they did!" Ruby cried out, her tone of voice nearing that edge of someone about to freak out. Her grip on the steering wheel seemed to tightened. "Rushing towards a robot? What were you thinking?!" Kinus visibly cringed. That was kind of idiotic. However, he then felt his mother relax and the car gently rolled to a halt as they reached a red light. "Well at least you're alright." Her mother looked at him with the same gentle and caring expression on her face Kinus was used to seeing growing up. "Just be careful. Okay?"

"I always am, mom. I could say the same to you."

His mom smirked at his reply. The light turned green, illuminating the dragoness's lighter red scales to that of a greenish color. The car crawled forward again before reaching a decent cruising speed down the road. "Do you want me to have a look at you?"

Kinus shook his head. "No, I'm fine, just exhausted is all. Recovery Girl was the one who took care of me in the clinic."

"Recovery Girl?" His mother nodded. "She's a great pro hero."

"Yeah, she is. She told me that apparently, I wasn't the only one who was a bit reckless today."

He could feel his mom frowning already. "I swear, kids these days…" she bemoaned. "Just understand that you guys are not invincible."

"I know, mom," Kinus replied, nodding. "You know me."

"Yeah, that's why I'm concerned." She chuckled at her own joke. "But aside from that, how did the written tests go?"

A sheepish sigh escaped Kinus lips. He was hoping she wouldn't ask about that. "It was...well…" Kinus didn't need to look at his mom's face to see the concerned look there. "It went...okay."

"You did study for it, right?"

"Of course I did!" Kinus twiddled his thumbs, recalling the written portion of the entrance exam earlier at UA. "They had English and grammar stuff, I know I aced that. Then they had history...science...and then...math…" His tone of voice was beginning to lower as he remembered how he struggled during those portions of the test. Answering those tests were probably much harder than smacking the robots that he had to face at the practical.

There was a moment of silence as Kinus's mom stared flatly at the road in front of them. It was clear to the both of them that she was wondering if Kinus enrolling at UA was a good idea to begin with. Ruby eventually relaxed and sighed. "I'm sure you did well."

Wanting to change the subject to at least something more positive, Kinus then asked, "How about you, mom? How was work today?"

"It was so and so. We just had to deal with some rogue criminals here and there, the same old stuff." Ruby smirked at Kinus from the corner of her eyes. "It's not as glamorous as fighting robots, that's for sure." She chuckled.

The pair continued onwards with their drive home, with Kinus's mother telling him about how her day went. It was always a pleasure to listen to her stories. There was a certain charm to hearing her tell him of the monotony of police work. It was a nice contrast to the extravagant and often times sheer outrageous stories of heroes fighting villains. In a way, it anchored Kinus and told him that while heroes could do fantastical things to fight crime, they were still governed by rules and regulations.

Inevitably, the two arrived at their destination, a small quaint home in a residential area not far from the city. Kinus and his mom got themselves settled in for the night. The boy was quick to heat up some leftovers they had from yesterday, while throwing anything else they had lying around in the kitchen pot for some soup. The dragon momentarily stopped in front of a shelf that had family photos showcased. There was a picture of Ruby, and then of himself as a young dragon, and then there was a picture of the three of them together. Kinus, Ruby, and his own dad.

Kinus's musings stopped when Ruby called out to him, "Kinus, can you help me with the food on the table? This meal you made smells delicious!"

"Coming!"

A few minutes later, the mother and son enjoyed a delicious meal together. Starting conversation, Ruby decided to then ask, "So, Kinus, what did you think of the students anyway?"

"The students?"

She took a bite of cooked meat. "Yeah. I'm sure some of those students would wind up being your classmates, if any of them passed."

"Well…" Kinus then began to recount the students that stood out to him the most. "There was this one guy who looked angry all the time. With the way he was staring at the test papers on the written test, you'd think the paper owed him money or something." The dragon scratched his chin. "The thing is, I think I kind of recognized him too. I think he was on the news at one point back then."

"Oh? Well I sure hope he did well on the test."

"Yeah...then I think a few others that stood out was Midoriya and Fumikage."

His mother blinked, then smiled warmly at him. "You made friends then?"

"Maybe that's a bit of a stretch." Kinus chuckled. "We've only just met anyway. I'm not even sure if the both of them got in. I mean, I hope they did! Fumikage was great at the practicals." His smile then wavered when his thoughts went to Midoriya. "I'm not sure about Midoriya though. He looked really on edge when I met him. It looked like he was about to pass out."

The red dragoness shrugged. "I don't blame him. I can understand if the pressure was getting to him."

Kinus then blinked, realizing he forgot something. "Oh that's right!" He then fished out the letter that was handed to him by Recovery Girl earlier that afternoon. "I was left this note." The dragon then opened him and began to read its content. He smiled upon realizing who it was from. It was from Tokoyami. It read:

"Dear Hazani, I am deeply thankful for your actions earlier this morning. Know that I would have done the same thing if our positions were in reverse. I hope you get well soon, and that you get into UA. You more than earned it."

Kinus smiled. He mentally shook his head. Nah, if there was anyone else that deserved it, it was him. He was the one who jumped in first and saved that girl. Kinus only ran after him for being so reckless.

"Whose it from?" his mother curiously asked.

The dragon smiled. "I think I made a friend."

The days of waiting for the results of the entrance exam were probably the longest days in Kinus's life. When he was about to be crushed by the robot, he thought that was going to be the death of him, but the dragon never imagined how wrong he was. The anxiety and stress of waiting for the result was suffocating for him. He tried to get his mind to think of anything else, but it just wouldn't let go. It was nerve wracking.

Even as he jogged down the street one afternoon, he couldn't help but feel it brewing at the back of his mind. The dragon began to doubt himself, questioning his own actions. He wondered if he had done enough. Did he took down enough robots? Did he answer all the questions correctly in the tests? Did he even write his own name in the test paper?! Kinus shook his head, slowing down to a walk as he decided to catch his breath.

"Well, it's the end of the week anyways…" he mumbled to himself. If there was ever a day for the results to arrive, it would be today. The dragon pressed the button to cross the street and waited for the sign to go green. He sighed, beginning to wonder what he was going to do if he had failed. Where was he going to go? He could always apply to other schools, logically, but that just didn't feel right. He wanted to be in UA. That was THE school to go to. But it was never a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket…

A sigh from his left side caught Kinus's attention. The dragon turned his head and was surprised to find a particular looking plain boy with a striking head of green hair. He was carrying groceries in a plastic bag, his face blank and looking despondent. Braving himself, Kinus decided to ask, "Midoriya?"

The boy blinked, seemingly snapping out of his own thoughts. "H-Huh?"

"It's Midoriya, right?" Kinus asked, beginning to wonder if he was mistaking someone.

The boy looked at him, and Kinus could visibly see the gears turning in his head. It then clicked and Midoriya recognized him. "Oh! It's you! Hazani, right?"

Kinus smiled at him. "Yeah, yeah! I'm glad you remembered me." He chuckled. "How are you doing, Midoriya?"

The boy smiled wryly. It was clear to Kinus that something was deeply bothering Midoriya. It wouldn't be hard to guess what it was. "I'm okay," Midoriya answered. "Same old, same old, you know?" He let out a light laugh. The light turned green, and the two of them continued to walk forwards. "I've just been doing errands to help pass the time. Been waiting for the results." He said the latter statement with a tone lacking in confidence. "I'm just hoping I did well."

"I'm in the same boat," Kinus chimed in. "Misery loves company."

Midoriya cracked a smile. "I'm sure you did fine! You're probably awesome at your quirk!"

The dragon waved a dismissive hand at him. "Nah. I'm average at best." The two crossed the street fully and Kinus stood at the sidewalk. "Speaking of quirks, I never got to know what yours was."

The topic of quirks immediately grabbed Midoriya's attention. "M-my quirk?!" he asked, his voice comically rising in tone.

"Yeah," Kinus asked. "Or are you still planning on keeping it a secret from me?" he asked jokingly.

Midoriya just laughed, grinning at him. "It's just, you know, it's whatever…" he said, looking away. "It's not really all that fancy, to be honest..."

From the way he was acting, it gave Kinus the sense that talking about his quirk was a sore subject for him. He decided to let the subject rest for now. "I understand. I was only joking anyway. You can tell me some other time." Midoriya visibly relaxed like a huge weight was lifted off his chest. "Heading back home then?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Midoriya replied. "How about you? Are you done with your jog for the afternoon?"

"Honestly? I was just jogging in hopes of having it help get my mind off the entrance exam. It's been eating away at me. I don't think I've been able to sleep right for days now. I don't have eye bags right?" he asked rhetorically.

"I feel your pain," Midoriya replied, his shoulder slumping forward and he visibly hunched over. "I don't think my heart can take this sort of stress."

"I'd rather fight the robots again instead of dealing with this level of anxiety," Kinus added. He then asked, "How was it anyway?"

"How was what?"

"The entrance exam. How did you think you do?"

The question seemingly went through Midoriya like a hot knife. A look of worry followed by a flash of resignation crossed his mind and the dragon immediately backpedaled. "I mean…you don't have to tell me Midoriya!"

"No, no, it's fine," he answered, letting out a sigh. "To be honest, I haven't been able to talk to anyone about it."

Not even your friends? Kinus wanted to ask but decided that maybe asking that would have been a bit rude. "Well, I mean," Kinus motioned to himself. "I know it's not much but you can talk to me if you want."

Midoriya stopped walking and glanced at Kinus. There was a moment of silence and the dragon could tell that he was thinking about it. "I feel like I failed," Midoriya eventually said.

"In the entrance exam?"

"Yeah."

"What makes you say that?"

Midoriya looked like he was on the verge of tearing up. "I got zero points!" he cried out.

Kinus flinched. "Zero points?!" He scratched his head. Was that even possible? He glanced at Midoriya who clearly had now opened the dam and his pent up frustration and anguish was beginning to flow out. Midoriya was visibly shaking, tears gently streaming from his face and falling onto the ground. "There must be some mistake."

Midoriya shook his head. "I wasn't able to beat a single robot." He looked at Kinus, clearly distraught. "Not one…" his voice croaked. "I'm a failure."

Even Kinus wasn't sure what to say. Eventually he sighed and placed a comforting hand on Midoriya's shoulder. "I'm sure…" Kinus began, trying to find the right words to say. "There has to be...more to it than that."

"What do you mean?" Midoriya looked at him, wiping the tears from his face.

"I'm sure there has to be more to the test than just simply destroying the robots, or just destroying in general," Kinus answered, sounding as if he was even trying to convince himself. "UA's known for being the best of the best. If their entrance exam was solely based on sheer power alone, then even the average joe with a powerful quirk could get in and we both know that quirk alone doesn't determine a person's capabilities."

Midoriya nodded, daring to even crack a smile. It would seem that Kinus's words got through him somehow.

"So cheer up, alright?"

Midoriya wiped away tears from his face, his smile fully forming now. "Thanks, Hazani."

The two continued their walk, a more positive vibe coming off the both of them as they walked down the street. After chatting and getting to know one another more, the pair eventually reached Midoriya's humble abode, which was one of the many residential apartments in the city.

"It was nice talking with you, Hazani," Midoriya said, smiling at him. "Walk home safe!"

It was later that evening when everything came to a head. Kinus was at his room, sitting in front of his desk watching videos on the internet. A video of a fighter swinging a spear around had his full attention and the dragon was mentally taking notes of form and proper flow. It was when his mother called out to him did the dragon's focus break.

Wondering what the ruckus was about, the dragon poked his head out the door and looked around. "Mom?" he asked.

His mother turned around and in her hands was what looked like a letter. "It's here," she said plainly.

Kinus instinctively took a deep breath as his mother gave it to him. The source of his anxiety was finally in his hands and the anticipation was overflowing next to the doubt that made the dragon's entire body numb. His hands trembled a little as he held it, eyeing the UA symbol that was melted into the red seal.

"I'll let you open it while I setup the table," she said.

Kinus nodded, feeling a bit nervous as he retreated back to his room. "Okay…" he mumbled, sitting down and gingerly opening the letter. Thoughts raced past his head. Did he pass? Did he fail? What if he did fail? Where was he going to go? What was his mother going to think? What was…

A gentle thud derailed the train of thought he had in his head and the dragon blinked upon seeing it was some sort of hologram projection device. The machine whirred to life and he was greeted by none other than the symbol of peace himself, All Might. "I am here as a projection!" he gallantly announced and Kinus wondered if he had gone momentarily deaf. All Might beamed at him and the dragon couldn't help but feel a bit enamored. Interacting with pro heroes was not a daily thing for him, so the fact that he was getting a message from All Might, of all the pro heroes out there, left him starstruck.

"Young Hazani," he began, his gaze not breaking contact, "you are by far the most balanced student we have come across! Your written exam showed you had a fair grasp of the basic faculties but left room for improvement in some areas."

Kinus visibly flinched upon hearing the statement.

"Your answers showed ingenuity, and didn't shy away in being verbose as to how you would approach a hypothetical villainous situation." Kinus nodded along, giving himself pats on the back. It wasn't often that you'd get to hear a pro hero giving you compliments. "However, it is quite clear that while your tactical approach is a strength, it is also a weakness. While making a plan is a good trait, as a hero, you don't always have the time to stand and think of one. It is important to understand that time isn't a luxury we can afford as this may very well be the deciding factor between the life or death for the citizens we serve."

The dragon tapped his fingers on the desk, doing his best to absorb All Might's advice like it was gospel.

"Your practical exam, on the other hand, showed potential! You were able to defeat a moderate amount of robots, amassing a total of twenty seven Villain points."

Kinus's eyes bugged out. 27?! He genuinely thought he did better than that. Was that even enough to pass the test?

"But do not fret, young dragon, for villainous deeds aren't the only source of merit on this examination!" All Might beamed once more. "Rescue Points are given out to individuals who show what it means to truly be a hero! To save others regardless of the consequences to oneself!" A number flashed on screen. "Twenty eight rescue points, are awarded to you by our panel of judges."

The screen flashed once more, and a video of Kinus heading into a crumbling building began to play. The dragon blinked, remembering when this was. This was when he went in to rescue Tokoyami!

"The practical exam shows your range quite perfectly. You are able to act accordingly, whether it is to fight, or to save others!" The screen played another video, and this was near the end. The part where he nearly got crushed. "Even though your decisions may not work out, the spirit of self sacrifice is still strong nonetheless!"

The videos stopped and the camera focused on All Might once more.

"And that, is an important trait to becoming a great hero."

Kinus felt his chest swell with pride.

"With enough training and experience, it won't be long until you become a strong force of good! Kinus Hazani, a total of 55 points, in eleventh place in our entrance exam, you pass!"

The dragon felt numb upon hearing the words. It was like sweet relief finally came to him. The anticipation, the excitement, the anxiety! It all built up to this, and the dragon couldn't help but cry out in joy.

"YES!"

"Come, Young Hazani! For now, you are part of the Age of Heroes! And it all starts here at your hero academia!"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:  
**

 **SO YEAH..I kind of took my sweet ass time in posting the 2nd chapter of my story...and here I said that I would be updating regularly. My bad~ But hey! I'm posting the 2nd chapter, and that's what matters right? Haha. Anyways, yeah, as you have noticed so far, I am following the plot of the show. Why? Well, my story is a retelling of sorts. I'm following the plot of the show except this time with the addition of my OC. Will things change? Depends! Who knows? This is fanfiction after all! Best believe that at some point it will deviate as I try to give it my own signature style.**

 **Rest assured, I will do my best to make Kinus Hazani feel like a realistic character that can stand among the already compelling characters featured on the show. I am striving to keep everyone in character to best of my abilities as well.**

 **I just hope you guys enjoy this as much as I did writing it.**


	3. Chapter 3 Class 1A

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 3

Class 1A

The followings weeks were like a flurry of activity filled with excitement for Kinus. The high he was on from receiving the news that he got accepted into U.A. seemingly made time dilate. Everything just blurred together for him. One day, he was at his desk, pen gliding over the papers he had to fill in and submit, in accordance to finalizing his enrollment. The next, he was outside, doing some errands that involved him having to go to Kiyashi Ward to get himself some school supplies and other necessary incidentals. He had to pick out a school bag to fit all the books he'd be carrying. He released a sigh of relief upon realizing that the shopping mall had shoes in his size. He was admittedly dreading the tedious search to find dragon sized shoes.

At the end of it all, Kinus found himself hanging his school uniform at the front of his closet, admiring the colors that he was now going to wear. The gray color palette, highlighted by the nature green accents, with a bold red necktie to top it all off. It surprisingly didn't clash with his strikingly blue scales. The dragon smiled wryly, looking at the back to find a tailored made hole in the slacks just for him. Tails always did provide a perplexing fashion problem, but U.A. was quick to send the dragon specially made clothes to accommodate his body physique.

All in all, it was a sight to behold. Come next day, Kinus was going to step out of their front door, proud to say that he was a U.A. High School student.

"Okay, Kinus...you can do this…" The dragon mumbled to himself as he walked across the pavement, the U.A. building looming nearer and nearer. "It's like being back at school...you've been through school numerous times…" The dragon nodded to himself, lightly slapping the sides of his face and doing his best to shake the nervousness away. But the dragon was so lost in thought that he didn't realize where he was walking. Kinus ended up bumping into someone and that led to the dragon apologizing profusely. It was only when he paid attention that he realized who it was.

"It's fine, just be careful next time," the boy answered in that familiar calm and collected tone.

"Tokoyami…?" he voiced, eyeing the bird in front of him. The spiky hair feathers, the red choker on his neck, the serious eyes. Yep. That was him. "Tokoyami! You're here!"

The bird nodded, allowing himself to smile. "That I am. I see I was not mistaken in believing that you'd get in. How are you doing, Hazani?"

"Where do I even start?" Kinus asked rhetorically. He chuckled, glad that someone was there to help alleviate the anxiety. "It's been hectic. What class are you in anyway?"

"I am in Class 1-A. You?"

The dragon grinned. "I'm the same too!" Kinus looked visibly relieved. The fact that he already knew someone before school started proper helped calm his nerves. Not wanting to waste time any further, the two made their way inside.

To say that U.A. was big, was an understatement. It was obvious from the get go that in U.A. no expense was too high. Everything was polished to the point where you could see your own reflection from it. Screens that served as school bulletin boards that detailed various school club activities were present. Even the lockers had their own sophisticated lock set in place. The building was a proud statement of form and function going hand in hand. There weren't many students around and Kinus surmised that it was probably because they were all heading to the gymnasium nearby for the opening ceremonies. The students were tasked to first meet with their homeroom teacher however, who was going to lead them there, and he was to be found at their designated classroom.

"Class 1-A…" Kinus mumbled, looking at the signboards above the doors.

"Hazani," Tokoyami called out, "over here." The dragon joined him in standing before the slightly ajar door and already they could hear some students chatting inside. "Let's introduce ourselves."

Kinus nodded and followed after Tokoyami who confidently strode in. The dragon felt himself visibly gulp upon feeling everyone's eyes on him. There were already a fair number of students inside, around seven or so, and they all stopped talking to see who were the newcomers. Immediately, one of them came up to greet them.

"Good morning!" he called out boldly, "I am from Somei Private Academy. My name is Tenya Iida." He stuck out a hand for a handshake. "Nice to meet you, fellow classmates."

Kinus glanced and noted how Tokoyami eyed Iida carefully, before his eyes darted to the handshake. He then reached out to shake it lightly. "Fumikage Tokoyami," he answered, sounding marginally less enthused than Iida. Kinus smiled a little. The contrast between the two was rather amusing. The bird then moved to go to his chosen seat, which was near the back.

Iida made a beeline towards Kinus and stuck out his hand. "You are?"

"Kinus Hazani." Kinus reached out to shake Iida's hand. "It's nice to meet you too, Iida."

"The pleasure is all mine." The young boy straightened up his glasses before glancing at his watch. "It's already half past the hour and the others aren't here yet."

"Oh, lighten up, Iida," one of the boys chimed in. He had shoulder length hair and a simplistic grin plastered across his face. "I'm sure they're just taking their time." His eyes then darted to Kinus. "I'm Hanta Sero, by the way."

"Nice to meet you too, Sero," Kinus added, smiling at him.

Kinus looked at the layout of the classroom and quickly decided where he wanted to sit. Everyone seemed nice and would be a good seatmate but he preferred to be seated next to someone he was already somewhat familiar with. That would have been Tokoyami. It just so happened that there was a vacant seat next to him. Perfect!

Kinus passed by the rest of the students who were chatting happily with one another, and joined Tokoyami near the back. The bird was quietly observing the rest of the class and only paid Kinus a look as the dragon placed his bag on the empty seat. "I hope you don't mind," Kinus said, almost sounding apologetic.

Tokoyami smiled in response. "I don't. The familiar company is appreciated."

The dragon smiled. Hearing the animated chatter from the rest of the class, Kinus decided to leave Tokoyami and socialize a bit with his classmates. It was always interesting to meet new people and Kinus made it a point to put himself out there, as to present the best foot forward. It would seem that the group was chatting animatedly about school rankings.

"It is a crying shame that I only reached up to sixth place!" Iida looked down the ground, clenching his fist in frustration.

"Cheer up, Iida, at least you got into the rankings," a girl chimed in. She had unruly, short pink hair with yellow horns protruding from her head that reminded Kinus vaguely of an alien. "My name wasn't anywhere near that at all."

"I can sympathize with you on that," Kinus added, throwing himself into their conversation.

"You too, huh?" she rhetorically asked. "I'm Mina Ashido, nice to meet you, Hazani!"

"Nice to meet you, Ashido," Kinus replied back.

As the others conversed, a voice came from the side and Kinus saw it was from Sero. "Hazani, can I ask you something?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, sure, what is it?"

He scratched his chin and looked at Kinus from head to toe. "If you don't mind me asking, and I don't mean to offend you with this question at all, but...what are you supposed to be?"

Kinus blinked, caught off guard by the question. It wasn't often he was asked what he was suppose to be as he always thought it was obvious, much like how Tokoyami was obviously a bird.

"He's obviously a lizard, dummy."

The dragon's eye twitched upon hearing the statement and Kinus allowed himself to smile wryly and take it in stride. The answer came from the girl in front of Sero. She had short purple hair with asymmetrical bangs. What stood out to Kinus the most was the fact that she had plug like earlobes that swung every now and then when she moved her head.

"Is he though, Jirou?" Sero asked back, looking at Kinus.

"You're both wrong," Iida chimed in. He had his hand under his chin and spared Kinus a thoughtful stare before answering, "Look, he has horns and lizards don't have horns."

"Thank you," Kinus smiled. He was glad someone finally noticed the thing that stood out of him, literally. The dragon decided to humor himself and ask, "Would anyone else like to try their hand at guessing?"

"You're a dragon," came a voice from behind Kinus. It was from the girl who had seated herself behind his own seat. Unlike everyone else, she looked visibly more mature, having an air of poise and formality to her. She had fair skin and had black hair with bangs to the right that was tied back in a large spiky ponytail. "That's what you are."

"But I thought dragons had whiskers?" Sero asked, sounding confused. "Most of the ones I've seen have those."

Kinus decided to alleviate the boy's confusion. "Well yes, but that only applies to a certain group of dragons, specifically the ones born here."

Sero nodded, realizing he had learned something new. Ashido then threw him question in, asking, "But don't dragons have wings?"

Kinus head dropped towards the floor, looking a bit deflated. "I sadly didn't get that part of the Quirk."

Realizing that she may have hurt his feelings, Ashido was quick to apologize. "I didn't mean to…"

Kinus waved a dismissive hand at her and smiled reassuringly. "It's fine. It was a honest question anyway." The dragon made his way back to his seat, wanting to relax. The girl that guessed what he was correctly tapped him on the shoulder. Kinus turned around to find her giving him a warm smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you Hazani. I'm Momo Yaoyorozu."

"Likewise," he greeted.

The doors opened and that grabbed everyone's attention as a batch of new students began to file in. Kinus allowed himself to relax, glad that he was mixing quite well with his new found classmates. The rest of the new students began to introduce themselves into the fray. Katsuki Bakugo was one of them, and immediately Kinus realized he was one student he would actively avoid. Hot headed and arrogant were probably just a few of the adjectives that came to mind for Kinus when he thought of the boy. But, Bakugo, as he found out, wasn't all just bark with no bite.

"I saw his name. He's the top one in the entrance exam," Tokoyami told him.

"Seriously? No way…"

As more of their classmates began to arrive, Kinus found himself looking towards the door more and more. He glanced at his watch and noted that it was only a few minutes left before class hours was going to officially start.

"You look worried," Tokoyami said, catching his attention. "Are you waiting for someone?"

The dragon nodded, letting out a sigh of frustration. His thoughts immediately went to Midoriya. He was hoping that the boy made it in, much like he did. "Yeah...I'm hoping Midoriya made it in."

Tokoyami's head cocked towards the side. "Midoriya?" The bird thought for a moment. "Do you mean Izuku Midoriya?"

Kinus blinked. "Do you know each other?"

The bird shook his head. "No." The bird then smiled knowingly at him. "But if my hunch is right, then you have nothing to fret about."

"Why is that?" Kinus asked.

"Because I saw…"

The door slid opened, grabbing everyone's attention, and a student stepped in. Almost immediately, the worry Kinus had in his system dissipated. He could recognize that green messy hair and the familiar freckled face anywhere. Iida, who was arguing with Bakugo about some classroom decorum stopped in their conversation and made his way towards the newcomer.

"Like I was saying," Tokoyami continued, "I saw his name in the top ten, so you have nothing to worry about."

"Top ten?!" Kinus cried out in surprise. "Midoriya's in the top ten?!"

"Yes. I believe he scored sixty rescue points, with zero villain points," Tokoyami answered cooly.

Kinus watched Midoriya from the distance as he conversed with Iida. It was as if he was seeing him in a new light. He remembered that Midoriya seemed devastated when he was worried that he didn't destroy any robots. The dragon allowed himself to smile. It must have been quite a surprise for him when he found out that you don't necessarily have to destroy robots to get points. It only made Kinus more curious as to what exactly Midoriya's Quirk was.

He was about to rise to catch up with Midoriya when a voice from outside the classroom caught all of their attention.

"Go somewhere else if you want to make friends."

Midoriya, and the girl he was talking to named Ochako Uraraka, turned around to find an adult laying on the ground in what seemed like a yellow sleeping bag. Kinus craned his head to get a good look at the man as he unzipped the bag and stood in front of them. Whoever this guy was, it looked like he needed some more sleep. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were bloodshot. An untrimmed beard was on his face, accompanying a thousand yard stare. There were what looked like bandages that wrapped around his neck, almost looking like a scarf even.

"I'm your homeroom teacher, Shoto Aizawa," he continued, "Nice to meet you all."

The look of shock at the revelation that this dishevelled man was their teacher was clear on everyone's faces. Ignoring their surprise looks, the man reached into his bag and took out a track suit. "It's kind of sudden, but put this on and head out onto the field. Meet me there in fifteen minutes. Anyone who is late will receive a grave penalty." He then walked out, disappearing out of view as fast as he appeared in front of them.

"What was with that guy?" Kinus asked.

"He's a pro hero," Tokoyami answered, standing up. "I'm sure he has his reasons for being the way that he is."

"Well yeah…" Were eccentricity that common among pro heroes? He wasn't sure, but much like everyone else, they all began to head out to do as they were told.

With the fear of a grave penalty, whatever that may have been, spurring them on, everyone moved fast. It was obvious that nobody wanted to get on Aizawa's bad side, especially since it was the first day of school. Kinus made his way into the locker room to change, beginning to undress much like everyone else. He stopped midway however, feeling self conscious as he began to strip off his shirt. He never did feel comfortable letting others see him naked. But now wasn't the time to dawdle. Briefly taking note that everyone was beginning to leave, only then did Kinus undress fully, dropping down his pants and hastily stuffing it into his locker.

"Hazani, are you done yet?"

Kinus nearly had a heart attack upon hearing the voice. He turned around to find it was none other than Tokoyami. "Dude! Don't scare me like that!" He instinctively covered himself with his own tail.

"Sorry," Tokoyami apologized, turning around. The bird gave him a sideways glance then said, "hurry up or we'll be late."

"I'm going, I'm going…" Kinus felt his face flush beet red. The dragon wasn't one to show others how he looked in nothing more than his jockstrap. He knew it was something he needed to get over with at some point however.

After a minute or so, he stepped out of the lockers and found Tokoyami waiting for him. "Come on, let's go," he said, briskly walking out towards the exit.

The sun beat down on them as they stepped out on the field and made their way towards the rest of Class-1A, who were eagerly awaiting what Aizawa had in store for them. Finding the teacher to not be there yet, Kinus took this chance to catch up with Midoriya. "Hey Midoriya," he called out.

The green haired kid turned his head and his face lit up like a Christmas tree upon seeing the blue dragon. "Hazani! You made it! I can't believe it! We're actually classmates."

"You guys know each other?" The girl that was named Uraraka joined in on their conversation. "Nice to meet you," she added, smiling up at Kinus.

"Nice to meet you too." The dragon then scratched his head. "Well, you could say that. We just met each other during the entrance exam." Kinus then blinked upon realizing something. "Oh that's right! You were the one that stopped Midoriya from falling down on the ground!"

Uraraka lightly laughed. "Yep! That was me! And that's not the only thing I did."

"Oh?" Tokoyami chimed in, finally making his presence known in the conversation. "Do tell."

Midoriya visibly fidgeted. "I-It was nothing. She just saved me, is all."

"Stop being so modest, Midoriya. You actually saved me!" She then turned to the two boys then said, "you should have seen him! He took down the zero point robot in one punch!"

"Zero point robot…?" Kinus and Tokoyami both asked in unison. They glanced at Midoriya who looked like he'd rather be elsewhere. His face was beginning to flush to a deep red and Kinus wondered if it was because of Uraraka's presence. "As in, THE zero point robot?" Kinus clarified. He probably wouldn't forget that robot any time soon. Being crushed under it left a big impression on him.

Uraraka enthusiastically nodded. She then made a motion of punching into the air. "Just like that! Bam!"

Kinus was about to ask some more when the entire mood between Class-1A seemed to dip as everyone turned around, Aizawa making his presence known to them. "Sheesh, you guys are too noisy…" he mumbled, walking up to them. He cleared his throat and looked at each and every single one of them. "Today...we'll be doing a Quirk Assessment test."

"A test?" Uraraka blurted out. "But what about the orientation?"

"Being a hero means being prepared for anything, at any given moment. That means you don't have time for such leisurely events." Kinus gulped, feeling the tension rising. It was just the first day of school and yet he already felt like he was being thrown into the fire. "U.A. prides itself in being unorthodox when it comes to school traditions." Aizawa raised a tablet he was holding that listed eight different physical fitness tests. They were, in order, the 50 meter dash, grip strength, standing long jumps, repeated side steps, ball throw, long distance run, sit ups and lastly, the seated toe touches. "You kids have been doing these tests since junior high, but you weren't allowed to use your quirks."

Kinus smiled wryly. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't exactly use his quirks as the tests were far too strict for him to be able to use it creatively.

"Bakugou," Aizawa called out, "you finished at the top of the practical exam, right?" Bakugou nodded, prompting Aizawa to continue, asking, "in junior high, what was the farthest distance you've got?

"67 meters," he answered promptly.

"Try doing it with your Quirk."

Bakugou did as he was told, taking the ball into his hands and walking towards the designated circle a few feet away from them. "I don't care what you do, just as long as you stay in that circle and throw that ball."

Kinus watched in anticipation as the blond haired boy prepared himself. A quick flex and getting into the proper form, Bakugou swung his arm and aimed up high into the sky. His hand exploded, rocketing the ball at amazing speeds, before landing quite a fair distance away from them. The shockwave it sent rippled dust from the ground. A beep took everyone's attention and Aizawa promptly showed them his tablet.

"Know your maximum first. That is the most rational way to form the foundation of a hero." The tablet showed the distance Bakugou covered, displaying 705.2 meters.

Everyone was clearly impressed. Some even looked enthusiastic, commenting that this was some sort of fun game they could do. Kinus on the other hand felt a bit concerned. While he wasn't one to doubt his own abilities, the dragon wasn't one who had full confidence in himself either. Sure, he could throw a ball, much like throwing his own dragonic lance. But to throw it as far as 705.2 meters, much less farther than that? He wasn't sure. He glanced in front of him and could see Midoriya looking visibly disturbed. It would seem he wasn't the only one who was having the same thoughts.

"It looks fun, huh?" Aizawa asked. His expression then changed to a dark grin as he said, "Why don't we make things interesting? Whoever comes in last place in all eight tests will be judged to have no potential and will be punished…" Aizawa looked at all of them intensely, "with expulsion."

When that statement landed, everything changed. The look on everyone's faces told one thing was clear. It was do or die...or, in this case, expulsion. It was obvious that no one wanted to be the unfortunate student who had to be removed right off the bat. Kinus spared a glance at everyone's reactions. Tokoyami was expressionless as ever, save for a what look like a confident smirk curling up his lips. Uraraka and Iida both looked determined. The dragon turned his head to see Midoriya and had to pause. The boy looked utterly shaken, holding his right hand with his left.

Kinus took a deep breath. While admittedly concerned for the others, Kinus realized that he needed to also focus on himself. He could be on the chopping block if he wasn't careful. He wasn't going to back down out of here without a fight. Everyone was going to bring their A-game. He needed to top it. No...he needed to surpass it.

"Alright, demonstration is over. The real thing starts now."

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Here's chapter 3! I hope you guys like it. I did my best to keep the main cast to remain in character as much as possible so I hope they don't come across as OOC.**


	4. Chapter 4 The Quirk Assessment Test

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Have you guys seen Episode 5 so far? Oh my goodness. I am so excited for how things are going now. AND MY BOY TOKOYAMI. Yeesh. He's about to go on a rampage.**

 **Regardless, here's The Quirk Assessment Test! I decided to throw in a bit of a variety here and show a few of Kinus's downside. Hope you guys like it!**

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 4

The Quirk Assessment Test

Kinus mentally prepared himself for the ordeal they were going to go through. His heart raced in his chest as he did some stretches under the shade of a nearby tree. Aizawa had allowed them a five minute break to think things over and give them a chance to prepare for the eight exercises they were going to do. Eight tests that would determine if they had the right to stay or leave. This was the last thing Kinus expected when he woke up this morning. He expected class orientation, student introductions, getting to know the school and one another, that sort of thing. But no. He had this as his primary introduction to U.A.

The dragon smiled as he stretched his arms.

If there was one thing he was pleased about, it was that U.A. definitely had a way of keeping things exciting.

The sound of someone muttering under their breath prompted Kinus to stop. The low voice was coming from Midoriya, and it seemed he was wrapped in deep thought. He had his hand on his chin and from the way he was staring at the ground, looked like he was trying to decipher the message hidden in the brown soil of the field. Releasing a sigh, Kinus walked over to him. "Hey," he called out. There was no response. It would seem that Midoriya was wrapped in his own bubble, muttering things Kinus couldn't wrap his head around. It was something about not breaking an egg in a microwave? Why was he thinking about breakfast at a time like this?

"Hey," he said, with a bit more force and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. That seemingly got through to Midoriya, his trance like state fading away. "Are you okay?"

He did a half smile, half grimace at him. "I guess?" he answered, though he sounded like he was unsure of his own response. "I'm just nervous."

"Clearly," Kinus commented. "You were muttering to yourself." The dragon's brow rose. "Something about an egg?"

Midoriya chuckled and scratched his own head. "Nevermind that. Just a sort of mental exercise for me, is all." Kinus remained unconvinced. It looked like whatever the egg, microwave thing was, it meant something more to Midoriya than he let on from the way he muttered about it. "How about you?" Midoriya asked. "Nervous?"

Kinus nodded, taking another deep breath. "I never did well in physical fitness tests." Seeing the puzzled expression on Midoriya's face prompted him to clarify, saying, "I mean, I guess I'm okay. But up against others who have quirks that can actually help and accentuate their talents? Yeah…"

"But wouldn't your Quirk be helpful then? Being a dragon and all that," Midoriya genuinely asked.

"I'm hoping that it is."

A whistle came across the field, prompting everyone to go to the first event that Aizawa had set up. It was the 50 meter dash. It seemed that two runners would be running side by side, and a robot was stationed at the far end that would measure their time when they cross the finish line. "You are free to do whatever you think is necessary to cross the finish line," he explained to them, "if you attack the person you're racing with, your points will be deducted. Heroes don't attack other heroes, got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." He tapped the tablet in his hand. "Oh and one last thing. Your performances on each of the tests would be compared to your previous ones back at junior high as that would help you determine if you had any improvements. Now…" he briefly looked at the group. "Asui, Iida, you two are up."

Tsuyu Asui, as Kinus recognized her, was one of his classmates who happened to have the Quirk of Frog. She had long dark hair that neatly tied itself to a bow on her back. She had wide eyes with distinctive lower eyelashes and she walked with a bit of a hunch. She and Iida got into position and everyone watched intently.

"Who do you think's going to win?" Ashido asked curiously.

"Iida, probably," Sero answered. "Have you seen that guy's legs? He's built for this sort of thing."

Kinus directed his eyes towards Iida's legs and only then noticed the pieces of metal that were sticking out of his legs. It reminded Kinus of a car exhaust.

"Do your best, Iida!" Uraraka shouted, cheering from the sidelines.

The dragon smiled. Even though the mood was rather dour, Uraraka's positivity didn't relent. Admittedly, her preppy demeanor helped him calm down a little. Just a little.

The machine sprung to life. "On your marks...get set...go!"

Both Asui and Iida rocketed off towards the opposite end of the track, in their own definition of 'rocketing'. Iida's legs propelled him full force, running faster than anyone Kinus had ever seen before. Asui on the other hand jumped high into the sky, using her strong frog legs to give her forward aerial momentum. When it was all said and done, Iida finished with a blazing 3.04 seconds and Asui with a modest 5.58 seconds.

"Next!" Aizawa called out. "Ojiro, Uraraka, on the plate."

As the students did as they were told, Kinus used this chance to give himself some more time to focus. His Quirk allowed him to manipulate liquids and do whatever he wanted with it, but that wasn't really going to help him in this current situation. All he had to rely one was his pure physical brawns and muscle.

"Todoroki! Hazani! On the plate!"

Hearing his name get called made the dragon jump. He allowed himself a moment to take a breath, before walking up to the plate. He passed by Midoriya and the boy offered him a thumbs up, although Kinus knew that with the way Midoriya was sweating, the boy needed it more than he did. The dragon looked forward and saw who he was up against. One look at Shoto Todoroki immediately reminded Kinus of Tokoyami. At least, with the whole calm and collected vibe. He had an eye catching hair color that was evenly split between white on the right side and red on the left. There was a distinct burn mark on his left eye that Kinus made a point not to stare at.

Getting into position, Kinus focused heavily at the goal at the end of the track. The best plan he could think of was to just run. Run like the wind and hope for the best that his speed would have been enough to carry him forward. Maybe those afternoon runs that he did every chance he could get would pay off. That wasn't exactly the most creative solution, but given the circumstances, that's all he could do.

"On your mark…" Both he and Todoroki got into position, bracing their legs for a kickoff. "Get set…" Kinus nervously stiffened and relaxed his tail muscle, raising his waist at the same time. "Go!"

Kinus blasted off as fast as he could, running down the track in a mad sprint. The sounds of excited gasps drew his attention however, and he spared a glance to see what was going on. He was taken by surprise upon seeing Todoroki literally skating across frozen ground. With every other step he took, he froze a portion of the ground ahead of him, basically letting him slide swiftly forward. Todoroki quickly sped past him and Kinus barely had enough time to jump as the ground he was running on froze into solid ice.

Time slowed at that moment as Kinus was in midair.. The ground in front of him was beginning to freeze and if he ran, he'd run the risk of slipping and that was not something he wanted to deal with. That was when it clicked. Kinus realized he could use this to his advantage. As he landed straight back on the ground he followed after Todoroki's lead, forming ice skates at the bottom of his rubber shoes to help him move faster.

"4.8 seconds!"

Todoroki stopped upon reaching the finish line, the frozen ground underneath him beginning to melt under the baking sun. He looked visibly surprised however upon seeing Kinus sliding across the frozen floor. The dragon dove forward as the ice underneath him ran out, and practically rolled across the finish line.

"5 seconds!"

The dragon was left panting on the floor, trying to catch his breath and steady himself. Aizawa walked over to the both of them. "Now what did I just say about attacking other fellow students?" he asked Todoroki rhetorically. "I understand you didn't mean to do it though. Besides, Hazani seemed to managed. In fact I feel like I should give him points for being able to adapt on the fly." The teacher allowed himself a small smile. He turned to Todoroki and said, "Just don't do it again, alright?"

"Yes sir," Todoroki answered, letting Kinus hear him speak for the first time.

Aizawa nodded, and promptly turned around. "Bakugo! Midoriya! You two are up!"

A figure blocked the shining sun from Kinus's view. "Sorry," Todoroki said, extending a hand towards him.

Kinus briefly glanced at the hand before grabbing it and allowing Todoroki to help him up. "It's fine," he answered, giving the boy a friendly smile.

Todoroki stared flatly at him and nodded, turning around to head back to the group. Kinus stared at Todoroki's back before shaking his head. "Man of a few words…" he mumbled. The dragon eventually followed behind Todoroki and joined the group of students who were anxiously awaiting their turns to get called up. Midoriya and Bakugo just finished and unsurprisingly, Midoriya lagged behind.

Kinus found himself walking back to join Tokoyami and the bird acknowledged his presence. "And here you were worried."

"Oh hush."

The next test on the lineup was grip strength. They were tasked to move inside to the gymnasium and squeeze the measuring grips as hard as they could with their hand. Kinus slid his hand absentmindedly into the slot and eyed everybody else. Everyone's faces were seemingly contorting to different expressions of exertion as they all gripped as hard as they could. Bakugo was at one side and he was squeezing so hard it looked like one of his veins was going to pop.

Kirishima was right next to him and was coaxing him to take it easy. "Dude, you're going to get an aneurysm with the way you're going!"

Bakugo glared at his companion. "Shut up!"

The dragon turned back to the grip measure he was holding. "Here goes nothing!" One hefty squeeze later and the machine showed his strength at around 150kgs. The dragon shrugged. That was passable at best, unremarkable in the grander scheme of things. Being a dragon gave Kinus more than normal human strength, but compared to other dragons, that was average. A dejected sigh grabbed Kinus's attention and he turned around to see Midoriya staring at his grip measure.

"Everything alright?"

The boy just offered a weak smile in response.

It was obvious that this was beginning to mentally frustrate Midoriya and the pressure of expulsion hanging above their heads didn't help matters either. "I'm sure you can pull through this one, Midoriya," he said, in an attempt to cheer his friend up.

"Thanks, Hazani."

As Midoriya headed back to Aizawa to report to him his grip strength result, Kinus was joined by Iida and Uraraka who were just finishing up on their grip strength tests.

"How did he do?" Uraraka asked, concern clear in her tone.

Kinus shook his head. "I think it's starting to get to Midoriya, Uraraka."

Iida shook his head. "This is bad. If things keep going the way they are, Midoriya is definitely going to end up in the bottom."

"Why isn't he using his Quirk?" Kinus blurted out. "Wouldn't that help him in the tests?"

Iida and Uraraka both felt silent, unable to meet Kinus's eyes. "While that would greatly help him, I don't think it would be for the best."

"Why's that?" Kinus asked.

"Do you not know?"

Kinus shook his head. "I honestly don't know what Midoriya's Quirk is. He never told me."

"It's strong!" Uraraka chimed in. "But…" her expression shifted to that of worry. "Using it would break Midoriya's body."

"What?!" Kinus turned around to look at Midoriya who was telling Aizawa his test result. "What kind of Quirk is that? That sounds like torture."

"I don't know, but that's what we saw during the entrance exam," Iida added.

The rests of the tests continued afterward. The standing long jump was hard and arduous but Kinus managed to pull through. Getting the extra push from his dragon legs, he jumped up high into the sky and landed at the far end of the dirt. Tokoyami followed after him and launched himself higher and further with the help of Dark Shadow pushing the both of them off the ground. Their distances easily earned them a high enough spot to not worry about being in the bottom.

Kinus watched a few minutes later to see Midoriya struggling to barely even get past the robot tester. The dragon grit his teeth. He glanced at Aizawa and saw a somewhat sadistic smirk coming from the man. It became clear to him then that the teacher was obviously singling out Midoriya. Why though, Kinus didn't know, but it angered him either way. He didn't like it when the strong pick on the weak, especially if it was a friend of his.

The repeated side steps proved to be a challenge for Kinus when it was his turn to do it, given that his large physique wasn't really designed to go back and forth in quick succession. It easily outbalanced him, even making him topple to the ground after a fair bit of doing so. But the dragon got up, brushing the dirt off his shoulders. You win some, you lose some, he told himself. Besides, he was far more concerned for his friend, Midoriya who was clearly sweating bullets as time ticked on. They were already halfway through the tests and Midoriya was coming in either second to the last, or at dead last and that wasn't really earning him any favors.

The ball throw test came and everyone's jaws dropped to the floor upon seeing the result of Uraraka's trial.

"INFINITY?! That's amazing!" Kaminari cried out, speaking what was on everyone's mind.

"How in the world did she do that?" Kinus asked, looking at Iida who was the only one who didn't seem remotely fazed at the feat Uraraka just performed right before their eyes.

"Her Quirk is Zero Gravity," he answered plainly.

Kinus glanced back at Uraraka who was walking back to them, happy as can be. He shook his head, smiling wryly. "That was so perfect for her, it almost feels like cheating."

Iida allowed himself a small smile in regards to his comment. "How about you?" he asked, turning to face the dragon. "Confident in getting a good score?"

Kinus glanced back at the plate. He wasn't a stranger to throwing stuff, that's for sure. "I guess? I mean, I'm used to throwing my dragonic lance around but I never really measured how far it goes."

"You should have this easy, Hazani," Tokoyami said, standing next to him.

"You think so?"

"I've seen you throw stuff," he answered. "You can definitely throw stuff."

"Is that how you passed the entrance exam, Hazani?" Iida asked him.

"I suppose. That's how I primarily fight."

"How heavy is that lance of yours anyway?" Tokoyami asked curiously.

Kinus thought for a moment, but found himself coming up blank. "I...don't know." He chuckled at his confusion. "I genuinely don't know. I never measured."

"Midoriya!" Aizawa shouted, grabbing everyone's attention. "On the plate."

At that moment, the atmosphere amongst the class seemingly dipped as everyone watched with bated breath as to what Midoriya was going to do. It was clear that he was the one lagging behind in the class in terms of the result and if he wasn't going pull something out now, he was going to get eliminated. Kinus bit his lip, hoping nothing but the best for his friend.

"It doesn't look good for Midoriya if he continues like this," Iida said.

"Huh?" Bakugo chimed in, sounding arrogant as ever. "Of course not! He's a Quirkless loser, you know."

Quirkless? Both he and Iida turned their faces to look at Bakugo who seemed adamant in what he was saying is true. Iida then said, "What? Are you not aware of what he did in the practical exam?"

"Yeah," Kinus added, "the guy's in the top 10. He earned that spot."

Bakugo only responded with an angry growl before looking back at Midoriya with that deathly glare of his. Kinus turned his head and looked as well, wanting to see what Midoriya was going to do. Admittedly, he had never seen Midoriya use his Quirk, so he was genuinely curious as to how it actually performed.

And then Midoriya did it. With fierce, burning determination etched across his face, Midoriya swung his hands and threw the ball with all his might, only for it to land a measly few feet away from him.

"46 meters," the robotic voiced called out.

Midoriya looked pale. Eyes wide and confused, he was looking at his right hand and said, "B-but I was definitely trying to use it now…"

"I erased your Quirk."

Kinus turned his head and let out a gasp of surprise upon seeing Aizawa's eyes glowing an eerie red. The bandages around his neck were floating, along with his hair as he stared straight on at Midoriya. A distinct style of yellow goggles were resting on Aizawa's neck.

"The entrance exam was definitely not rational enough. Even a kid like you was accepted."

"You erased my Quirk?" Midoriya asked. He then gasped, upon recognizing who exactly Aizawa was. "You can erase other people's Quirks with your Quirk just by looking at them! The Erasure Hero: Eraser Head!"

Kinus cocked his head to the side. Others were voicing their own confusion.

"I've heard about him," said one of the students. "He's an underground hero. He's not well known because he doesn't interact with the media."

Kinus nodded understandingly. "Because it would hinder his work?"

"Exactly."

Kinus looked back at Aizawa who remained stern as ever. No wonder he was so strict. He was a hero through and through and didn't mess around for the sake of enjoyment. He didn't do it for the fame, the glory or whatever. He did it because he wanted to, and he was channeling that drive to his students and wanted to understand that being a hero shouldn't be taken lightly.

"From what I can tell, you can't control your Quirk, can you?" Aizawa asked. "Do you intend to become incapacitated again and have someone save you?"

"That's not my intention-"

Before Midoriya could finish talking, Aizawa's bandages sprang forward, wrapping itself around the boy's waist. He was pulled closer and the two began to converse between one another, out of earshot from the rest of the class. From what Kinus could tell from the look of frustration, mixed with determination and anger, whatever Aizawa was saying was touching a sensitive nerve on Midoriya.

Eventually however, Aizawa pulled back and released Midoriya, leaving everyone to wonder what exactly went between them. "I've returned your Quirk. You have two turns left." He began to walk away, saying, "Hurry up and get it over with."

Midoriya began to walk back towards the circle, and Kinus could only watch as the boy was left looking conflicted. From what Kinus was told, Midoriya's Quirk allowed him to do remarkable things, something he could really use right now to be able to succeed in this test. However, the tradeoff was that it would leave his body broken. If Midoriya were to use it… Kinus gritted his teeth. Midoriya would have succeeded in winning the battle, but he would inevitably lose the war.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was from Tokoyami. "You alright?"

Kinus released the breath he wasn't aware he was holding. "I'm fine." He turned back to look at Midoriya who looked like he had come to terms at what he must do.

Then Midoriya went for it. He swung his arm once more, and everyone watched, wondering what was going to happen.

An explosive gust of air travelled across the field as the shockwave of Midoriya's throw smashed the ball upwards high into the sky. It was so strong that Kinus had to take a step back or else be blown backwards entirely.

"705.3 meters," the robot voice came from Aizawa's phone.

"Mr. Aizawa," Midoriya said, turning back to look at Aizawa who was equally stunned at the display. "I'm still standing!"

Everyone broke into a cheer, the suffocating feeling of dread and worry seemingly dissipating in the blink of an eye. It was replaced with relief and happiness, as it was clear that everyone was cheering for Midoriya to succeed. Well, almost everyone anyway.

"HEY! DEKU YOU BASTARD! TELL ME HOW YOU DID THAT OR YOU'RE DEAD!" Bakugo cried out, exploding into a fit of fire and fury, charging straight at Midoriya.

Before anyone could even react, bandages flew straight at Bakugo stopping him in his tracks entirely. Kinus marvelled at Aizawa's specially made bandages. They truly were an equipment made for a pro hero. "Jeez, stop making me use my Quirk over and over," Aizawa said, obviously annoyed. "I have dry eye, you know." The bandages then dropped, freeing Bakugo from his position. "Next person to go, get moving. I want to get this over with already."

Midoriya clearly made it a point to give Bakugo wider space as he made his way towards the class once more. He had his right hand cradled gently, a pained smile on his face.

"Is your finger all right?" Uraraka asked.

"Oh! Y-yeah," Midoriya answered, still reeling from the sudden turn of events.

"That was amazing, Midoriya!" Kinus exclaimed, walking over to him. "And here you were keeping your Quirk a secret from me," he tapped him on the back, to which made Midoriya stagger slightly. "Oh, sorry!"

The boy just laughed. "It's fine."

The remaining tests soon followed after in a quick blur as Midoriya's success seemingly gave everyone renewed energy. But even then, the continuous physical exertion was beginning to take its toll on everyone. Kinus felt his exhaustion beginning to catch up to him by the time he was done with the situps.

"Hazani, you alright?" Ojiro asked upon seeing him sit upright.

Kinus sighed and gave the boy a thumbs up. "I'm okay. Just exhausted."

The two switched and before long Kinus was holding down Ojiro's feet as the boy began to do the sit ups. The dragon watched from the distance as Midoriya was doing the same, though clearly looking worse than everyone else. It was a stark contrast against Ojiro who looked like he hadn't broken a sweat.

"You don't look tired," Kinus commented as Ojiro was nearing his twenty mark, "do you do this often?"

"You could...say that…" Ojiro answered in between rises. "My Quirk isn't really all that exciting, so I have to make do with what I have."

The dragon glanced at the boy's bushy tail. It was comparatively far larger than his. "Well you're doing a better job than I am, that's for sure," Kinus remarked, "I hope you don't mind, but I was actually thinking of asking you for some tips."

Ojiro stopped his sit ups, completing forty in total. "On what?"

Kinus looked a bit sheepish. "Tail usage." He raised his tail up to show it to Ojiro to emphasize his point.

"Tail usage?" came a voice from beside them. The two boys turned their heads to see Mineta looking at them with a certain glint his eyes. "I've seen that before…" his tone of voice made the nonexistent hair on Kinus's scales rise. Both he and Ojiro visibly reeled slightly.

"Yeah…" Kinus said, turning back to Ojiro. "Like I was saying."

Ojiro smiled at him. "Sure." Ojiro raised his own tail up. He grinned. "Shake on it?"

Kinus coiled his tail around Ojiro's own and the two shared a tail handshake to seal the deal.

After the situps, the seated toe touches soon followed. The dragon had his work cut out for him as he felt his entire body strain in an effort to be flexible. Thankfully, it was over as soon as it started and before long, they were on the final test which was the long distance run. However, by then the sun was already up high into the sky and the long distance run became more so a test of surviving against the baking heat as they ran laps around the field. This ultimately pushed Kinus to the limits of his physical capabilities.

"Nearly...there…" he said, practically dragging his feet on the ground at that point. What lap were they on anyway? The third? Or was it the fifth? He had lost count a few steps ago. He glanced around him and could see everyone looking exhausted, save for Momo and Todoroki who were surprisingly keeping up with Iida who was running at a much more relaxed speed. He felt a presence beside him and noted that it was Tokoyami. The bird was beginning to show signs of exhaustion, but it was clear that he could still push through. Either way, Tokoyami still carried himself with that air of coolness.

By the time Kinus reached the finish line, his eyesight was beginning to blur.

"Hazani, are you…"

Tokoyami wasn't even able to finish that sentence as the dragon toppled to the ground. A few of the students gasped upon seeing Kinus fall like a sack of potatoes. "Water…" Kinus croaked. "I need water. Please!"

"Mr. Aizawa!"

Seemingly coming prepared, Aizawa ran towards the side and a few moments later, came back with a bottle of water. He tossed it over to Tokoyami who caught it and handed it to Kinus who looked a dying fish, suffocating in the dry air. The dragon opened the bottle desperately before chugging it down. Almost immediately, the familiar healthy blue hue of his dragon scales began to appear once more. Kinus took a deep breath, as if breathing air for the first time again.

The dragon sat upright. "Thank you...thank you…"

Tokoyami placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and helped him stand. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine...I'm okay now…" The dragon wiped the sweat off the top of his head. "I don't do well against strong heat. I easily get dehydrated."

Tokoyami tapped him on the back and the two made their way back to Aizawa who was now compiling the results. The teacher produced his phone once more and tapped it. "Okay, I'll quickly tell you the results. The total is simply the marks you got from each test. It's a waste of time to explain each result individually so I'll show you all of the results at once." With a tap of a button, the holographic screen materialized and listed all their names in the rankings they ended up in.

Kinus read through the list of names. Momo and Todoroki were at the top, followed by Bakugo, Iida and then Tokoyami. "Wow…" he muttered under his breath, glancing at the bird who was no doubt pleased with his performance. Kinus read through them again and eventually found his ranking, which was at eleventh place. The dragon smiled wryly. "Eleven seem so to be my number…" His rank at the practical was that too. But as his eyes continued downwards, the dread crept in and materialized fully upon seeing Midoriya's name...in dead last.

The hologram disappeared and before the piece of devastating news could sink in, Aizawa then said, "And I was lying. No one's going home."

Kinus blinked.

Aizawa's usual dreary, tired expression shifted momentarily to that of a smiling man as he continued, "It was a rational deception to make sure you gave it your all in the tests."

Everyone was equally floored by the sudden turn of events. That was a plot twist no one had expected. Kinus spared a glance to look at Midoriya who looked like he was white as a piece of paper.

"I'm surprised you guys didn't figure it out," Momo said, "Sorry. I probably should have said something."

"I nearly died out there!" Kinus cried out, finding his voice once more. He glanced at Tokoyami who was stoic as always, eyes closed. "You knew?!"

"You didn't?"

"You could have told me!"

"You didn't ask." The bird turned his head to face him. "Besides, I thought you would have been smart enough to figure it out."

Kinus's eye twitched in frustration. He was happy that things worked out for the better but that didn't mean he was pleased for being played like a fiddle.

The bird's stern expression softened. "Relax, I was just teasing. I figured it out half way through. I didn't want to tell you, however, since you looked so determined to give it your all."

Kinus just shook his head. "Whatever. All's well that ends well I suppose."

"That's it, we're done for the day." Aizawa then began to walk away. "Your syllabuses are in the classroom. Read it over for tomorrow morning." The teacher then approached Midoriya and handed him a nurse's slip to get his finger patched up.

As everyone began to head back to the lockers, Kinus was left feeling quite pleased that everything ended the way it did. He got to associate and integrate himself into the class quite easily, much to his surprise. Everyone was so nice and welcoming, it honestly felt refreshing. He also got to see the competition in a way. Everyone was good and strong in their own right, it showed Kinus one very important thing.

He still had a lot to learn and improve upon.


	5. Chapter 5 Quirk and Costumes

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 5

Quirk and Costumes

The rest of the day seemingly blurred itself together for Kinus. The exhaustion of dealing with the Quirk assessment test left him feeling sleepy and struggling to stay awake as the hours went by. Granted, he wasn't the only one who felt that way. Almost half of the entire class looked like they were about to fall asleep as the hours droned on and on. Thankfully enough, they didn't officially have classes, just introductions and orientations with their different teachers telling them what they were going to do in the many subjects they were going to have.

Eventually, classes did end, and the dragon breathe a pleasant sigh of relief as he gathered his things and began to head out. Kinus found himself walking out of the large entrance doors of U.A., home being his primary destination. The comforting embrace of his bed was being sorely missed. The vibration coming from his pants pocket prompted the dragon to fish out his smartphone. It was a text from his mother, asking him what he wanted for dinner.

"Hmm…"

"Oh," a voice called out to him, "Hazani, you're still here?"

The dragon turned around to find Tokoyami walking up to him, his bag slung over his back with one hand. Kinus shrugged in response. "Yeah, just answering a text." He promptly replied to his mom, saying whatever was fine. "You heading home?"

"Yeah, I am." The bird then looked at him. "Are you heading to the station?"

Kinus nodded. An idea then crossed the dragon's head to which he then promptly suggested. "We can walk together if you want."

There was a brief pause before Tokoyami answered, "Let's go." The two boys then began to head down the path, passing by other students that were talking nonchalantly about day to day things. A few were commenting about the lunch that was served at the cafeteria, some moping about some teacher giving them homework already on the first day of classes, and then a select few seemingly gossiping about Class 1-A.

The latter part made Kinus's ears twitch.

"Where were they?" a girl asked. "They weren't at the orientation."

"Who knows and who cares," said another dismissively. "They must think they're hot shots for being in the hero course."

"Hmph," another added, "we're just as good as any of them."

The surprising hostility made Kinus move slightly a few steps away from the group and he was glad that he still had the luxury of anonymity to shield him from the eyes of the gossiping students. He glanced at Tokoyami who returned the look and nodded for the both of them to make themselves scarce. The two boys turned right upon exiting the golden arch that marked the entrance of U.A. and the group of gossiping students turned left.

As soon as the group was out of earshot, Kinus asked, "what the heck was that all about?"

Tokoyami shrugged. "It's just how it is, really."

"What do you mean?"

The bird stopped and looked at him from the corner of his eyes. "You ask a lot of questions."

"I don't pretend to have all the answers."

"Is that why you didn't get Mr. Aizawa earlier?"

Kinus's eyes twitched. "You're STILL holding that against me?"

Tokoyami chuckled, and Kinus just glared back in return. The bird then cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "Sorry," he said, offering the dragon a kind smile. "But to seriously answer your question, simply put, it's competition, Kinus." He continued walking and Kinus followed after him. The bird then continued to explain, saying, "a lot of people want to be heroes. Not just us. But U.A. only has forty slots so some dreams have to be cut short." He turned to face him. "I'm sure you can see where the resentment is coming from."

The dragon nodded, offering a thoughtful hum in the process. "That does make sense…" Being a hero was one of Kinus's lifelong dreams. To be able to save others and to fight people who pick on the weak. It was a dream he most likely shared with others and to have that dream be denied from you, there was nothing more painful in the world than to be told you cannot be. "In a way...I kind of feel bad…?"

Tokoyami let out a light laugh. "It is normal to feel that way once you think about it. But it only makes it clear that you have to succeed whenever there is a trial ahead of you. There are others who are eagerly waiting to replace you."

Kinus laughed sheepishly. "If you put it like that, it kind of puts on the pressure."

"As it should. This is a serious endeavor. That is the lesson that Mr. Aizawa was trying to hammer into us earlier today."

"You're not wrong…" Kinus shrugged.

The two continued their walk down the path, stopping every now and then whenever there was a crosswalk that had them wait before they could cross. The station wasn't that far, but it was far enough that it allowed Kinus to converse with his new bird friend.

"So," Kinus began, thinking of something new to discuss, "thoughts on our classmates so far?"

Tokoyami placed his hand under his chin and proceeded to think. "It's too early to say. It is the first day of school after all."

"First impressions are the ones that last the most."

"Okay...uh...I'd say that Bakugo boy stands out." Tokoyami placed his hands in his pockets as he continued, "he's quite strong and would no doubt be a strong contender with that Quirk of his."

"That's right…" Kinus thought of Bakugo and how he basically skimmed through the Quirk Assessment Test like it was nothing. "He has that explosion Quirk too, to go along with his temper."

The bird smiled. "Speaking of which, you seem to be familiar with Midoriya, do you understand what's going on between them?"

"Between Midoriya and Bakugo?"

Tokoyami nodded.

Kinus shook his head. "Unfortunately, I'm as in the dark as you are. From what I can tell, they seem to have some shared history with one another, so the best I can say is that MAYBE they have some rivalry between them." That was when a curious thought popped into Kinus's head. "Although…"

"What is it?"

"Bakugo mentioned that Midoriya was a Quirkless loser."

"How come?" Tokoyami asked. "We both saw what Midoriya did to that ball, which was admittedly very impressive."

"Yeah, which throws me for a loop…"

"Sheesh, you guys are boring."

Kinus looked around in an effort to try and find the source of the sudden intrusion. They were walking in a fairly crowded street, but no one was paying them any heed. "D-did you hear that…" His eyes landed on the familiar black figure of Tokoyami's Quirk who was resting on the bird's shoulder. Dark Shadow's glowing yellow eyes stared back at him. "Oh, uh, hello."

"Hello to you too, Dragon Boy."

Kinus blinked. He glanced at Tokoyami who was just shaking his head and had an apologetic smile on his face. "I have a name."

"I know," Dark Shadow replied. The shadow like figure reminded Kinus of a small black cat.

"Tokoyami," Kinus called out, "I have to ask. Is it weird?"

"Is what weird?"

"To always have Dark Shadow around with you?"

"Ugh, tell me about it," Dark Shadow answered. "Do you have any idea how dull this guy is? He just sits in his room and reads!" Dark Shadow floated alongside Tokoyami and then continued to ramble. "Reading! Who reads? You do it enough times in school already!" The shadow like figure crossed his arms on his chest, a knowing smile on his face. "On the bright side though, there are things he does read that I do approve of." Seeing the curious gaze Kinus had, Dark Shadow then continued, "do you know that he reads those things that hav-" Whatever Dark Shadow was going to say next was quickly muffled by Tokoyami almost uncharacteristically grabbing the shadow figure and covering his mouth.

"SHUT IT."

Kinus just had a grin throughout the entire exchange. It was almost like watching an older brother argue with a younger brother. Inevitably, Tokoyami released Dark Shadow, looking a bit flustered as his feathers were more ruffled.

"Say that again, and I will be sleeping with the lights on for a week."

"Noooo!" Dark Shadow groaned. He turned to the dragon and did what Kinus could vaguely recognize as him trying to be cute. Or as cute as a shadow blob like figure could. "Hazani! He's being mean to me."

"Don't listen to him," Tokoyami growled.

"I'm...sorry?" Kinus replied, confused, but at the same time, enjoying the camaraderie he was seeing between Dark Shadow and Tokoyami. The dragon looked at Dark Shadow who was pouting. "Maybe next time don't start blurting out people's secrets like that out of the blue." His eyes then shifted to Tokoyami. "Even though now I'm more curious to know what it is!"

The bird glared at him, but it was clear to Kinus that Tokoyami was equally enjoying the interaction. "Don't you start with me, Hazani!"

The good times had to stop however when Kinus and Tokoyami arrived at the train station. Kinus was headed in one direction whilst Tokoyami was headed towards the opposite. "Looks like this is where we'll have to part ways," the bird announced, grabbing his ticket from the dispenser.

"See you tomorrow then?" Kinus asked.

Tokoyami nodded. They were about to seperate when Dark Shadow then said, "aren't you forgetting something?"

Kinus stopped. "Huh?"

Tokoyami and Dark Shadow began to converse amongst themselves and from the way it looked, Tokoyami seemed flustered about something, his feathers ruffling itself once more. The bird gave quick glances to Kinus and the dragon wondered what was going on. Eventually, Tokoyami sighed and turned to face him. "Hazani, can I get your number?" As if answering the surprised expression on Kinus's face, Tokoyami then nonchalantly said, "Dark Shadow put me up to it." He gave the shadow a glare from the corner of his eyes. "And I know he won't stop bothering me about it if I don't ask for it now."

"What?" Dark Shadow cried out. The shadow then huffed, mumbling something about the things he put up with for Tokoyami or something of that sort.

Regardless, the dragon was genuinely surprised at being asked, since rarely did people ever ask for his contact information. Kinus felt his chest swell, happy that he was really doing well with his relationship with Tokoyami. "I-uh," he stammered, "s-sure!" He fished for his phone from his pocket and the two began to exchange contact information.

Tokoyami smiled, feeling pleased with himself. "Thank you. Have a good night, Hazani."

"You too."

The next day soon came.

Although the world Kinus lived in was fantastical, having literal heroes and villains fight each other as good and evil trying to one up one another, there are still some things that never change. U.A.'s hero course was renowned for the different classes a student would take to help them become the hero the world needed them to be, but, much like every other school program there was, it was still subject to the normalcy that formed the education curriculum. Things that a growing person needed to become a functioning member of modern society, hero or not.

English, Math, Modern Literature, and Modern History to name a few, were the many subjects they had lined up in the morning. The normalcy and dullness of it was a striking contrast against the exhilarating notions of training to be a hero. Kinus could feel that everyone was bored out of their mind as they listened to Present Mic tell them about the importance of grammar rules. The pro hero wrote down a sentence on the board and turned around to face everyone.

"Can anyone here tell what's wrong with this sentence?"

Kinus looked at the board and read what was written. It read: 'The man loves reading, writing, and to study.'

Naturally, no one was half paying attention that their teacher was asking a question.

"Come on everybody! Look alive! Grammar rules!" Present Mic said in an effort to liven up the class.

It was amusing to see just how everyone did not care at all. But this was a school, and with school came grades. As much as it was important for them to learn to be what a true hero was, they were still being graded, even if it was the mundane stuff. Kinus wasn't going to miss out on some easy recitation points. The dragon raised his hand up.

"Yes, Hazani?" Present Mic called out, happy that someone was interacting with him.

The dragon stood up and said, "the phrases in the sentence doesn't follow the proper grammatical structure."

"What rule exactly is this?"

"Parallelism, sir," Kinus answered, smiling at Present Mic.

"Very good! Now, what SHOULD the sentence be if it were following parallelism?"

Kinus glanced at the board and then read out what the proper sentence should have been in English. "The man loves reading, writing, and studying."

Present Mic grinned at him. "Awesome! Now that's what I call a great answer!"

Kinus sat back down, feeling pleased with himself. He glanced at Tokoyami who was next to him, a smirk on his face. "What?" Kinus asked in a low voice.

The bird had just one word for him. "Nerd."

Kinus huffed.

Hours passed and before Kinus knew it, lunch time came. The cafeteria reminded Kinus of the food courts you'd normally see in malls. Many chairs and tables littered the area, filled with different students all enjoying their meals and company with one another. But unlike the meals that he had expected to see, they were much more than the typical school food fair. The head chef was Cook Hero: Lunch Rush, and he was renowned for his amazing ability in cooking food.

"Oh my goodness this smells freaking amazing…" Kinus said as he sat down in his seat.

"I know, right?" Midoriya commented. His eyes were still shining from the fact that Lunch Rush came by and gave them a thumbs up. "It's crazy. I wonder how he does it."

"It's probably related to his Quirk somehow," Ojiro remarked, "I find it hard to believe that anyone can cook this good."

"Agreed." Kinus took a bite from the breaded prawn he had on his plate. He shivered. It was like heaven in his mouth. "Goodness, I wish I could cook this good…" he mumbled. The rest of them began to eat and enjoy lunch. Casual conversation happened on the table and Kinus found himself conversing with Ojiro.

"So you wanted tips, right?" Ojiro asked. "I could send you some resources that I used that helped in my training."

"Thank you so much, Ojiro!" Kinus grinned. "I was trying to find some stuff last night but I couldn't find any."

Ojiro smiled at him. "It's fine. I'm happy to help." He fished out his phone and the two then began to exchange contact details. The boy then began to send Kinus some tail training related videos that could help in fighting. "This video should help you in defense...and this one should help you in offense." Kinus nodded, bookmarking the videos for the future. "The main thing you have to remember is that your tail is like an extra limb. You can grab, pull, and throw things with it much like any other useful limb."

"Thanks!" Kinus replied back with a happy smile.

"Oh, hey!" Uraraka said, seeing them having their phones out. "You guys should join the group chat we're making. It should help us keep in touch with one another."

"Send me the invite," Kinus said, and a few minutes later, he found his chat application connected to the designated Class 1-A group chat. "This should come in handy," Kinus remarked before putting his phone away.

With most of them being done with their lunches, they were enjoying the few minutes of break they had left before going back to class. The topic of conversation now pivoted to Quirks. "What you did yesterday was great, Hazani," Asui commented. The dragon perked up hearing his name get spoken out. "That was great adaptation."

"Oh! You mean when he did the ice skates? That was totally rad!" Kaminari chimed in. "Is that related to your Quirk?"

Kinus felt everyone's eyes on him and he found himself feeling a bit self conscious. "I-it is," he answered.

"What is your Quirk?" Iida asked propping his elbow on the table. "If you don't mind me asking."

"It's called Hydro Control."

"Hydro Control?" Midoriya asked before taking out a notebook and scribbling something down. "What does it do exactly?" he asked curiously.

"Well…" Kinus glanced around the table and saw his own half filled glass of water. He then turned to everyone who was waiting anxiously for him to show his Quirk. "My Quirk is relatively simple to understand. I can control liquids." He raised the glass and tipped it on its side. A few of his classmates gasped upon seeing the water flow out and seemingly float weightlessly in the air. "I can freeze it, and have it melt back into liquid form." The blob of floating water froze and landed on his open palm. He then tossed it back up and unfroze it, and the water began to float once more. "I can control the liquid and have it form into whatever shape I need it to be. Say...a knife." The water morphed and froze right before their eyes and then landed into Kinus's open palm. The dragon placed it back onto the empty glass, and the sharp knife melted back into liquid. The dragon finalized everything by drinking the glass of water. "Pretty simple."

The look of amazement on everyone's faces said it all. It look like they had seen a great magic trick. The only person who wasn't the least bit interested was Tokoyami, mainly because he had seen it before.

"That's so cool!" Uraraka cried out. "So you can make it form whatever you want it to be?"

"If I can think it, I could probably do it. But like all things though it requires focus and whatnot."

"Do you make the water or…?" Ojiro asked.

Kinus shook his head. "The only downside to this Quirk is that I can't make the water myself. I can't pull water out of thin air, even though that would really be cool. I have to have a source of water."

"So any liquid?" Midoriya asked, furiously taking down notes in his notebook. There was a look of genuine glee in his face. "You can control any liquid?"

"I haven't tested it on everything, but from what I can tell, yes."

Midoriya's eyes narrowed. "How about blood?"

Everyone's attention turned to Kinus, curiously wondering if his Quirk had that capability. "Blood?" Kinus asked. Even Tokoyami had turned his head and was now paying attention. The dragon thought for a moment. A look of serious and determination crossed his face as he raised his palm up and directed it to Midoriya. Everyone around the table gasped upon seeing the boy freeze and not move an inch.

"Oh my goodness!" Iida cried out, looking both fearful and at awe.

"Hey...that's kind of crazy," Kaminari remarked, backing away slightly.

"M-Midoriya! Are you okay?" Uraraka said, reaching out to touch Midoriya who looked utterly scared.

"Relax!" Kinus said, bursting into a fit of laughter. "You guys should have seen the look on your faces!"

"W-what?" Iida asked, looking at Midoriya who was now moving normally. "I thought you…"

Kinus shook his head and grinned at them. "Midoriya's fine. I didn't do anything."

Everyone breathe a collective sigh of relief. For a moment, it seemed like they were all scared for their lives. "Then why the heck did you freeze, Midoriya?!" Kaminari asked, grabbing his own chest. "I nearly had a heart attack."

"I-I got scared," he spit out, giggling nervously. "Sorry, everyone."

It was on that note that lunch time ended.

With the mundane stuff being scheduled in the morning, the anticipation in the air was beginning to get palpable as afternoon rolled in. Math, English, and Literature were fun, or at least Kinus thought so, but the real meat of school was Hero Basic Training.

"I AM…"

Everyone's attention focused on the door as the familiar voice echoed from outside.

"COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!"

The entire class was left flabbergasted as the symbol of peace himself strode into the room, wearing his iconic red, yellow and blue colors. It was one thing to see the man addressing you in a video specifically made to welcome you into U.A. It was definitely another to have him standing before you. Much like everyone else in the class, Kinus was a big fan of All Might. Every aspiring hero looked up to the man with respect and envy, wanting to be like him when they grew up. That was why when rumors began to swirl that All Might was going to be a teacher at U.A., Kinus had to control himself and not expect too much. They were rumors after all.

But now, the dragon grinned. Happy to have that rumor come true right before his very eyes.

"Good afternoon class!" All Might greeted. "I teach Basic Hero Training. It is a subject where you train in different ways to learn the basics of being a hero and what it means to fight in the name of good! Let's get into it!" The man began to pose, leaving everyone equally mesmerized. It was quite unlike anything else to be in the presence of the man. "This is what we'll do today! Combat training!"

Everyone began to mutter in the class. Kinus spared a moment to glance at his seatmate. Tokoyami wasn't the least bit bothered. Midoriya visibly stiffened in front of him and Bakugo looked like he was more alive than at any point of his life. It seemed everyone had differing opinions in what they were going to do. Kinus felt a shiver travel down his spine. A little exercise never hurt.

"And one of the keys of being a hero is, LOOKING GOOD!" All Might pointed towards the wall, and as if on cue, different shelves with numbered cases began to slide out. "These were designed for you based on your Quirk Registrations forms and the request you sent in before school started. Get yourself suited up, and meet me at Ground Beta."

All Might excused himself and everyone took their respective costume briefcases which were arranged in accordance to their seat number. Kinus stood up and grabbed his case. "Number nineteen…" he remarked, holding the case in his hands. "My very own costume…"

A few minutes later, Kinus found himself once again in the locker room and already he could hear the audible squeals and gasps of the more excitable boys in the class. Some of them had already run out, excited to see their costumes in the light of the morning sun. The dragon made his way to the back and found an empty bench. Looking around quickly to see if he was by himself, the dragon began to undress, removing his clothing and stuffing it into the vacant locker.

Free from the confines of his school uniform, Kinus opened the briefcase and marvelled at the suit he was going to wear. "This is...wow…" He held the fabric in his hands and it felt...different. The way it looked reminded him of spandex, but its texture was unlike anything he had ever held before. One brief glance at the documentation inside his briefcase told him it was a specially designed fabric that was made to compensate for his scales, and at the same time make use of his Quirk. The technical details in the paperwork was astounding, and Kinus made a mental note to read through it all to make sure he understood his suit fully. But for now, the dragon opted to put on the body suit, standing in front of the mirror and zipping it up.

Immediately, doubts began to crop up in Kinus's mind. "Oh no."

That was when the sounds of footsteps echoed in the locker room, making Kinus nearly jump out of surprise.

"Your costume's nice, Shoji." The tone of voice belonged to Tokoyami. "Simple, but functional."

"Thank you," replied the taller boy. "Yours is…" Shoji tried to find the best words he could say in regards to Tokoyami's darker style. "...stylish. In any case, are you waiting for someone?"

"I'm waiting for Hazani."

"Ah, I see. I'll go on ahead, alright?"

Tokoyami nodded, and then the boy left. The bird then rounded the corner and stopped upon seeing the friend in question in front of him. The dragon was standing awkwardly in front of the mirror, having an expression that he best described as conflicted. Kinus turned around upon sensing someone's eyes on his back. Kinus felt the blood rush to his face as he sensed Tokoyami's eyes take in his appearance. The dragon honestly didn't expect the costume to be so...form fitting.

Before Tokoyami could utter a word, the dragon nervously fidgeted, holding his tail in front of him in a show of shyness. "This is embarrassing!"

"It's fine," the bird responded in his signature calm and collected demeanor. But Kinus swore he saw a slight smile hiding behind his facade.

Tokoyami's black cloak fluttered as if a breeze swept by and Dark Shadow materialized from underneath it. "What's taking so long? I want to fight…" Dark Shadow trailed upon seeing the dragon standing by the lockers. The shadow crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side. "That's a great look for you, dragon boy. Really shows off your figure quite well."

"Don't tease him, Dark Shadow," Tokoyami reprimanded. He then began to walk out of the locker room saying, "Come on, Hazani, we're going to be late."

Kinus sighed, resigning himself that this was going to be his outfit from here on out. It wasn't inherently bad. It was quite comfortable and didn't restrict his movements. He could probably do backflips in it without having much trouble. No, what made Kinus pause was at just how sleek the outfit was, to the point where it almost felt provocative and sensuous. It hugged his form so closely, it felt like a second skin of him. But then again, that was probably the whole point to it.

Regardless, after packing his things into the locker, Kinus followed after Tokoyami. Admittedly, he was curious what the others would look like in their hero costumes.

The dragon had to mentally calm and relax himself as he strode out of the tunnel and into Ground Beta. Everyone was gathered up front, chatting animatedly with one another. The splash of color and style was imminent everywhere. Bakugo was wearing a costume styled after a grenade. Two large grenade style gauntlets on each hand and a color palette of orange and green to top it all off. It was perfect way to describe his explosive tendencies.

There was another student who was wearing what looked like a streamlined version of a knight's armor. From head to toe, he was covered in metal plates, decorated with exhausts pipes and each move he made produced the sound of armor clinking together.. The dragon couldn't tell who he was as his face was obscured by his helmet. But from the way he was talking and his mannerisms immediately told him it was Iida. That boy was the only one who could perfectly do right angle chops.

Green, violet, red, orange, white; every color on the spectrum was visible out on the field. Everyone looked like a pro hero in their respective costumes.

Uraraka happened to turn her head after talking with Iida and saw the two of them coming out of the tunnel. Kinus instinctively hid behind Tokoyami, who just responded with a light laugh.

"Hey you guys!" Uraraka called them over. "Wow, Tokoyami, black really suits you," she said, admiring the dark cloak the bird was wearing. Her eyes then trailed over to Kinus who was bashfully hiding behind the bird. "Oh wow…"

Upon hearing the arrival of the newcomers, everyone turned their attention to see what the costumes were and each were taken aback at the stark difference in style. Kinus visibly blushed upon feeling the many eyes that were looking at him. He offered a sheepish smile in return to the curious eyes.

"I think Kinus is ready to go swimming!" he heard Ashido from the back say, to which the others laughed and giggled in response.

"Kinus is beach ready while Tokoyami over here is too early for Halloween!" Kaminari added, earning another round of laughter. They both knew it was all in jest however, so neither of them took offense.

In truth, those were probably the best way to sum up their respective hero costumes. Tokoyami sported a black cloak that concealed his arms and upper body. From what Kinus could see of the bird's lower half was that he was also wearing black shoes. The only splash of color on Tokoyami's costume was his red choker. Black was the theme and Tokoyami wasn't shy in sporting it proudly.

Kinus on the other hand was of a different take. His bodysuit was of a darker blue color, outlined with a stripe of yellow. Even his special shoes had a stripe of yellow on it. The color pallete was modelled after his natural color scheme and Kinus was thankful the colors ended up mixing well and not clashing. There was no cape as Kinus always thought those hindered in movement.

"Are you okay, Kinus?" Iida asked, looking at him. His voice sounded a bit muffled from behind the helmet. "You look a little discomfortable."

"I'm fine, Iida," Kinus answered, doing his best to shake the nervousness away. "I just feel a bit self conscious is all." He smiled sheepishly. "I'm worried I'm being indecent at my crotch area."

Iida glanced down and blinked. "It's fine, Kinus. You have nothing to worry about," Iida answered. "You are a dragon after all." Though from the way he looked, it seemed like something he saw bothered him. "You are a dragon…" he repeated softly to himself.

Aoyama walked by and scratched his chin as he examined the costume. "Your costume is perfect for you. You should be proud. It accentuates your natural beauty! It's not often a man can proudly strut his stuff to the world."

The dragon smiled at the compliment. "Yeah, Aoyama's right," Uraraka added. "I mean, even I'm a bit self conscious with mine. It's a bit too skin tight. Then again, you could be like Yaoyorozu as well." Kinus looked at Momo and saw that the girl was proudly standing in her costume, even if the fabric to skin ratio was almost questionable. "It all depends on personal taste," Uraraka finished.

Ashido then happened to walk over and overhead the conversation. "Yeah, I should probably ask you for some advice when going to the gym next time," she said.

"Oh?" Kinus asked curiously. "Why is that?"

"Because you've got great assets!" Ashido chuckled at her own joke, and a few others who heard it giggled amongst themselves.

"Hey Deku!" Uraraka called out.

Kinus turned his head and found Midoriya standing a feet from him, wearing a lime green costume. It had two spiked tips on his head that reminded Kinus of a bunny's ears. Midoriya's hero outfit wasn't the most gaudy, but it served its purpose well.

"Alright, settle down everyone," All Might's voice cut through the air, making everyone quiet down. "Is everyone here?" The pro hero took one last look and mentally counted the class. "Good. Now that you're ready, it's time for combat training!"

"Sir!" Iida voiced out. "This is the fake city we had from our entrance exam. Does that mean we'll be conducting urban battles again?"

The pro hero shook his head. "Not quite. We're going to move two steps ahead. Most of the villain fights you see on the news happen outside. But statistically speaking, encounters with the most dastardly villains occur indoors." All Might looked serious. "Truly the most intelligent villains hide in the shadows. For this exercise, you'll be split into villains and heroes, and fight two on two indoor battles."

"Isn't this a little advanced?" Asui asked the question on most of the student's minds.

"You know what they say, experience is the best teacher!" All Might proclaimed. "You're dealing with actual people now, not robots."

That was when the flood of questions opened.

"Sir, will you be the one determining who wins and loses?"

"How badly can we hurt the other team?"

"Are we going to get expelled if we lose?'

On and on, the students piled up their questions, leaving All Might annoyed. "I wasn't finished talking yet!" he cried out, leaving everyone to quieten down. He took out a notebook from his pocket and began to read them the scenario of their current outline.

"The situation is that the villains have hidden a nuclear weapon somewhere in their hideout and the heroes have to foil their plans. To do this, the heroes have to either catch the villains or recover the nuclear weapons. Likewise, for the villains to succeed, they need to catch the heroes or protect their nuclear weapon under the designated time limit." All Might turned around and grabbed the box that he had brought with him. "Since time is limited, we'll be choosing teams based on drawing lots!"

Everyone then lined up and began to draw from the box to determine who was going to be their teammate. Pairs were already being formed. Midoriya was teamed up with Uraraka, who both seemed happy with one another. Iida looked a bit discomfortable having to be paired with Bakugo who didn't seem to care either way. Tokoyami found himself paired with Asui.

Kinus glanced at the letter designated on the piece of paper he held in his hand. "Team I."

"Team I, huh?"

Kinus looked up to see it was Ojiro who he was paired with. The boy was decked out with a white karate-like outfit with a partially furred collar and a hole behind for his large tail.

"I look forward to working with you, Hazani."

The dragon smiled. This was going to be a very interesting class exercise.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Yes, I know, that's a horrible chapter title. I'm not really the most creative person when it comes to that.**

 **Here's another chapter update for you guys! It's a bit of a short one, and I apologize for cutting it off before anything exciting really happened. I decided to make this chapter be a bit more of a breather episode, focus more so on the characters and let Kinus hang out with Class 1A, and make friends and all that.**

 **Don't worry. It's going to get exciting next chapter. We have the hero training with All Might after all.**


	6. Chapter 6 First Showing

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 6

First Showing

Explosive, exciting and exhilarating.

Those were the best three words Kinus could think of to describe the match between Midoriya's team and Bakugo's team. It was like watching a blockbuster action movie, complete with thrills, twists and enough rise and falls that it could rival a rollercoaster ride. The dragon inevitably found himself excitedly fidgeting as All Might stood in front of the two draw boxes.

"All right everyone! Let's change locations and start the second match. Tackle this training after thinking about what we just talked about."

Kinus nodded. Yaoyorozu was kind enough to give them a quick rundown of what happened between the prior match and what they should have and should not have done. The main takeaway Kinus learned was that to take the training exercise seriously, and whatever happens, don't endanger the public. Bakugo's explosive attack and Midoriya's punch that led to the building having a gaping hole in it were the the type of strong attacks he needed to avoid. Kinus smiled wryly. It wasn't like he could unleash devastating attacks like that anyways.

"Alright! Time for the next match." All Might dipped his hands into the ballot boxes. "Our next match will be between...Team I and..."

Kinus blinked. Already?! He and Ojiro both glanced at each other in unison.

"...and their opponent will be Team B!"

The boys turned their heads and Kinus felt a slight shiver go down his spine. They were up against none other than Todoroki and Shoji. This was definitely going to be interesting.

"Team I will be the villains and Team B will be the heroes! Hurry and get yourselves in positions! On the double!"

"So we're the villains, huh?" Ojiro remarked as he stood in front of the large nuclear warhead that was supposed to be their weapon. He tapped it with his hand and it responded with a hollow sound. It was honestly lighter than he thought it would be.

"Pretty much," Kinus said, doing some preliminary stretches. "How familiar are you with our opponents anyways?"

The boy placed his hand on the bottom of his chin thoughtfully. "Shoji is a pretty strong guy, physically. He can duplicate his tentacles into any body type he needs it to be, like an extra arm, extra eyes and mouth even. He'll be a strong fighter. Then there's Todoroki…"

"What's wrong?" Kinus asked, noticing the hesitation in Ojiro's voice. "Intimidated?"

The boy chuckled. "A bit. He's one of the students who got in through recommendations. It feels like he's on a different level already because of it."

Kinus nodded, remembering the physical fitness test Mr. Aizawa had them go through. "Yeah, you're right about that. He blew through the fitness tests like they were nothing. That kid's a beast and his Quirk too…"

"He can lower temperature to the point where he can make ice," Ojiro answered. "He can even ice skate!"

Kinus finished his stretches and walked over to Ojiro. "Well, we don't have to necessarily fight them. We just have to either capture them or survive long enough. Fifteen minutes isn't that long. But I have a feeling this is going to be the longest fifteen minutes of our life." The dragon chuckled, trying to lighten up the mood. "So," he said trying to change the conversation, "I think in order for us to win, we have to make the most use of our Quirks."

"My Quirk is pretty much straight forward," Ojiro answered sheepishly. "My tail is pretty much a third limb and I can use its physical strength to help me fight head on." The boy punctuated his statement by donning on a fighting stance. "I'm more of a brawler, Hazani."

The dragon nodded. Already, he could see them being on a disadvantage, and that was mainly because he, too, shared the same fighting style. "I'm more of a mid range to close quarters fighter, myself."

Ojiro blinked, realizing a big problem. "But, Hazani, there's no water here!"

The dragon smiled at him. "It's fine. I've got that covered." He turned around to show the backpack like device that was strapped to Kinus. "This thing right here basically sucks in the moisture from the air and stores the water in the container for me to carry so I can always have water with me wherever I go. I can even check how much water I have in it with this thing on my arm." He showed him the small device and it detailed that the container on his back had about eighty percent amount of water in it and slowly rising each second.

"That's cool," Ojiro remarked. "So I take it you fight with weapons then? From what you showed earlier at lunch."

The dragon nodded. Kinus took a deep breath and focused. Once again, he called upon the water and it obeyed him. The water began to seep out from underneath his hand, exiting from a tube that was seamlessly sewn into his suit that connected to the water reservoir on his back. It floated before him, before quickly freezing into his halberd, his very own dragonic lance. The dragon held it in his hand, familiarizing himself with the natural weight and heft of his personal weapon. He turned to Ojiro and asked, "how about you? Do you want brass knuckles or something?"

Ojiro shook his head. "Nah, I'm good. Though I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Besides, I've got two arms and a tail. How can I lose?"

Kinus laughed at the joke. "Yeah," he added. "We've got tails! How can we lose? We're the villainous tail bros! Nothing can stop before our might."

The two shared a laugh, enjoying the brief respite they had.

All Might's loud voice resonated from the speakers inside the building. "LOOK ALIVE KIDS! Show us you're the embodiment of good...or evil! Let's go!"

The loud air horn made it's message clear. It was game time. "I'll go on patrol. You stay here and keep guard, alright? We can keep in contact through the radio."

Ojiro nodded and the dragon walked out the hall, and began paying close attention to his surroundings. He held his lance tightly in his hand. Another important lesson taught to him by his mentor was to never underestimate his opponents because doing so would be the cause of your untimely demise. He walked a few floors down, making sure that Shoji and Todoroki weren't sneaking up on them by going through one of the windows.

Just then, his ears twitched as he heard the sound of crackling filling the air. He glanced up ahead and his eyes widened. It was like the ice was literally crawling on the floor, walls and ceilings, and it was headed straight at him. The dragon jumped, taken by surprised at the shocking display of power. This was no doubt the handiwork of Todoroki. He expected him to be strong, but this was crazy! He landed back on the ground, thankful that at least the ice hadn't made the floor slippery.

"Ojiro," he called out on the radio quietly. "Are you alright? I think Todoroki just decided to freeze the entire building."

The audible sound of teeth chattering could be heard on the other side. "Y-yeah, I noticed. Hazani, I'm in big trouble."

"What is it?"

"My feet are frozen!"

The dragon began to walk, making sure to make ice cleats on his shoes to prevent him from ever slipping. "I'm on way. Just stay there."

He could almost hear Ojiro's eyes roll as he finished saying that statement. "Not like I can move anyways…"

Kinus hurried back, making sure to double check his corners. The last thing he wanted was to be taken by surprise by Shoji. A few moments later, Kinus arrived on the same floor, and already, he could hear Todoroki calmly walking towards where they hid the nuclear weapon. The sound of ice shattering underneath the boy's feet sounded menacing. Kinus stopped and decided to hang back slightly. Maybe he could use this to his advantage.

Ojiro struggled against the ice, his feet practically frozen to the floor. "T-This Quirk is insane!" Already he could hear someone coming through the door and he had a feeling he knew who it was. Where the heck was Hazani?! He got into a fighting stance, or at least tried to anyways, as his opponent made his presence known.

"You can move if you want," Todoroki said, strolling into the room like he owned the place. "But it might be hard to fight me with no skin on the bottom of your feet."

The boy gulped. The vast difference in power between their Quirks was astronomical. Ojiro actually felt his knees shake, and it wasn't because of the cold temperature. He closed his eyes, feeling defeated, and it began to dawn on him that it was kind of decided even before the match started. He clenched his fist, feeling useless. Todoroki was going to cross the room, and secure the nuclear weapon without even breaking a sweat.

"I don't mind."

Ojiro's eyes snapped open.

"I have scales."

With a mighty swing of his halberd, the dragon swung at a surprised Todoroki who didn't have enough time to dodge. The boy tried to form an ice wall but it wasn't enough to stop Kinus's large weapon, the sheer force of it sending him skidding across the floor before crashing through the wall that was now structurally weak due to the cold temperature.

Not wasting any time, Kinus quickly ran over to Ojiro and began to melt the ice that encased his feet. "You okay?"

"That was amazing!" Ojiro said, looking at Kinus as if seeing him in a new light.

"Thank you, but this fight is far from over." The dragon formed cleats at the bottom of Ojiro's shoes to prevent him from slipping on the icey floor. "That should keep you standing. Now…" The dragon turned back to face the hole that was now in the wall.

A frustrated looking Todoroki began to climb out of it, visibly glaring at Kinus. He spit towards the side, seemingly adjusting his jaw. "You're pretty good," he said, flexing his shoulders slightly.

"We're bad guys," Kinus answered cheekily. "It's how we're supposed to be."

Todoroki snorted, before unleashing a massive wave of ice headed straight towards Kinus and Ojiro. The two boys jumped out of the way, watching as the ice froze the very spot they were standing in earlier. Kinus was quick on the offensive, rolling forward to an upright position and began practically chucking icicle after icicle at Todoroki. The endless amount of ice on the floor was proving to be useful.

"Ojiro! Rush him!" Kinus cried out.

The boy ran towards Todoroki who was expertly swatting the icicles away with his hand. Ojiro swung at Todoroki, being given an extra boost of energy from Kinus's arrival. The morale boost was definitely helpful. Even if it was a two on one fight, Todoroki stood his ground, blocking jab after jab that Ojiro threw. Wanting to mix things up, Ojiro quickly spun, using his tail to sweep Todoroki's legs after a barrage of punches.

The boy was unable to block for much longer, being caught off guard by the low that was snuck in. "Gah!" Todoroki cried out, getting swept off his feet. There was a blur coming from his right side, and Todoroki quickly raised his hands up in defense as two heavy feet crashed into him. Kinus practically ran in and threw a drop kick while Todoroki was in midair. The resulting impact sent the opponent flying across the room and back into the hole in the wall.

"Thanks for the assist," Ojiro said, helping Kinus off the floor.

"Nah," the dragon shook his head. "That's what you call teamwork."

"Seven minutes!" All Might cried out over the speakers. "Seven minutes left! Hang in there heroes!"

Kinus looked at Ojiro and immediately his partner understood. "I'll keep him busy," Kinus said, before jumping into the hole in the wall. "You keep watch. Shoji might sneak in."

The dragon formed his halberd once more, mentally being thankful for Todoroki freezing the entire building. Kinus couldn't help but smirk. The boy's strategy was beginning to work against him. He found himself rounding the corner and stopped as Todoroki stood at the other side, a more calm and collected look on his face.

"You're not half bad, Hazani," he remarked, looking smug. "I'll admit, you caught me a bit off guard. I was expecting this to be a walk in the park."

Kinus gripped his halberd tightly. Gone was the air of casualness Todoroki had earlier. Everything inside Kinus told him that the real deal was about to go down.

"End of the line." Todoroki then began to unleash a barrage of ice at the dragon, pointed icicles flying straight at him followed by slabs of ice that would no doubt turn him into a living pin cushion.

The dragon quickly spun his halberd, using it to chip away at the flying icicles before jumping towards the side to avoid the large block of ice that crashed into the wall behind him. He barely had a chance to look up to see Todoroki follow up with another round of projectiles headed straight at him. He quickly rolled away and stood up, jumping into the free room towards the side to get some breathing room.

Kinus's mind raced as he hid behind a pillar. Judging from the way Todoroki had been fighting, the dragon noted that Todoroki was a long distance projectile fighter. He could fight up close, but it was clear that his proficiency was taking out his foes with strong area of attacks that would decimate anyone before they could close the gap. His combined effort with Ojiro earlier was probably the only reason he landed a successful blow on him the way that he did.

Kinus realized that he needed to beat Todoroki at his own game. The dragon glanced at his hands and his eyes widened. He was so caught up in fighting he didn't realize the state he was in. The healthy blue hue of his scales were beginning to fade and the feeling of thirst began to creep on him. Hurrying quickly, the dragon placed his hand close to his face and began to drink from the water that squirted out. The water was ice cold but it was nonetheless refreshing and rejuvenated his entire body. Hopefully that was enough to tide him over.

The sound of crushed ice under one's feet echoed in the room and Kinus realize that round two was about to start.

Taking the offensive, Kinus popped out of his cover and threw an ice dragger at Todoroki who expertly swatted it out of the air. "You're going to have to do better than that!" he shouted. Kinus quickly rolled and manipulated the ice beneath Todoroki to melt. The boy realized what he was trying to do and immediately jumped, evading Kinus's attempt to freeze Todoroki in place. Finding that it was his turn again, the boy pushed his palm outwards, summoning a pillar of ice to head straight towards Kinus. The dragon let out a cry of pain as he was smacked head on by the frozen solid, being carried towards the wall. Kinus felt the wind get knocked out of him, but he needed to keep fighting. Focusing as hard as he could, he quickly melted the ice pillar to free himself, barely making it just in time as Todoroki followed up with another ice pillar that would have frozen him in place.

Kinus slid across the floor, standing upright as quickly as possible whilst dodging attacks left and right. His entire body was beginning to feel heavy, and he could feel the exhaustion catching up to him. This fight was dragging on for far too long and he was going to lose this with the way things were going. He needed to stop and think but Todoroki wasn't giving him a chance to do so.

"What's the matter?" Todoroki taunted, "Run out of tricks?" The boy smacked the ground and pillars began to jut out, aiming to hit Kinus as he frantically dodged the frozen obstacles. He jumped, rolled and sidestepped as one obstacle after the other launched itself at him. Finding an opening, he melted the pillar and quickly built an ice wall between him and Todoroki, trying to buy some time.

Think, Kinus! Think!

"There's no point in hiding, dragon!" Todoroki's voice came from the other other side. "We both know who's winning this fight." He sounded a bit exhausted, but there was still that frosty edge in his tone.

Todoorki was really making it hard for him to get close to him. He was right. If he didn't close the gap between them, this battle was good as over. "I just need to distract him…" Kinus hands laid one of the puddles the ice had formed on the floor, an idea morphing itself in his head.

Kinus bit his lips. It was a risky plan, but he needed to end this fight now. Throwing caution to the wind, he decided to try something crazy.

The dragon threw a small block of ice from one side as a form of distraction. It worked as he caught Todoroki looking the opposite way when he popped out of cover. He quickly formed an ice hammer and threw it straight towards Todoroki. The boy's reflexes were sharp however, and he turned his head just as fast. He was about to swat it away when it suddenly exploded in his face, showering him in a spray of mist. "What the-?!" he cried out. He barely had enough time to register the right hook Kinus sent towards his way. Managing to close the gap between the two of them, Kinus released punches left and right as best as he could, his vision beginning to blur slightly with each punch he threw. Todoroki masterfully blocked, dodged and weaved every chance he could get, managing to even throw a couple of his own.

Remembering Ojiro's tactic earlier, the dragon spun on his legs, flinging his left foot outwards in an effort to catch Todoroki's head, whilst at the same time swinging his tail in an effort to catch the boy's legs. It was a guaranteed unblockable.

But Todoroki was quick on his wits. A flash of a smirk followed the boy's successful attempt to block both, by forming an ice wall strong enough to withstand the dragon's tail whip and he blocked the left kick with both of his hands. It left Kinus wide open. Todoroki countered with a strong left punch, hitting Kinus squarely on the side. The dragon grunted, feeling the cold on his scales. He quickly retaliated back, launching himself with his other foot and aiming to kick Todoroki with his right leg. The boy ducked, Kinus's legs barely missing the boy's head by an inch. With the dragon's leg whiffing, Todoroki countered, knocking Kinus back entirely. The dragon slid across the frozen floor, his vision squarely blurring more and more. His hands began to shake and it was becoming harder to focus.

Nonetheless, Kinus stood up on shaking legs, evident to make a final stand. He opted to form a crude version of his lance to serve as support. While it was obvious that this was a losing fight, he knew full well that this wasn't Todoroki's full power. They had been going at it for quite a while now, and the boy showed no signs of slowing down at all. The best he could tell was that Todoroki only had a few bruises to show for all the hits he managed to land on him.

The boy was a freaking beast, and levels far beyond him.

"Give it up, Hazani," Todoroki muttered. "You've lost this fight."

The dragon chuckled. "Well I guess I have." It was beginning to get hard to talk. "But…" Kinus managed to smile. "I still win the battle."

An air horn blared loudly. All Might's voice came over the speakers. "Villains win!"

"What?!" Todoroki cried out, looking confused. "We lost?!"

"It wasn't about beating you…" Kinus said. "It was just about lasting for as long as we could."

A look of realization flashed across Todoroki's face. It was a very simple plan, but it worked nonetheless. The dragon was nothing but a distraction. Todoroki gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. He was played for a fool, letting himself get caught up in the fighting. He turned his head, expecting to see the dragon grinning at him, eager to rub their team's victory on his face. Instead, he saw Kinus who was looking quite pale. Or at least, the colors of his scales were. Gone was the blue, and was now instead fading into a sickly, pasty white.

Then it happened. The sound of shattering ice filled the room as Kinus's lance crumbled into a million pieces.

The last thing Kinus saw was Todoroki's disappointed looking face before darkness engulfed his vision.

A splash of cold water was what brought Kinus back to life.

"There we go!" came an old yet familiar sounding voice.

The dragon's eyes opened and he found himself staring yet again at the ceiling of the clinic once more. He sat up right, feeling parched and weak. One quick look at the color of his scales quickly told him why.

"Here you go, sonny," Recovery Girl said as she handed him a bottle of water. "From my understanding, that should help you get back on your feet."

The dragon thanked her and opened the bottle, gulping down the cool and refreshing liquid. Almost immediately, the color on Kinus's scales began to return, the sickly white fading to show the healthy blue hue once more. The dragon ended up emptying the entire bottle, feeling rejuvenated entirely. "Thank you," he muttered again.

"You're welcome," she replied. She then looked at him crossly, somewhat annoyed. "Though I should be reprimanding you for letting yourself get to this point. Dehydration is a very serious thing. You should consider getting this weakness of yours checked out." The old lady then grabbed a clipboard and began to examine the results. "But, I am happy to see that aside from a few scratches and the case of dehydration, you're perfectly fine." Recovery Girl's eyes flicked towards the other bed that was covered with drapes. "Midoriya could learn a thing or two from you…"

Kinus blinked. That's right! His memory came to him and he remembered that Midoriya was also taken out from his fight with Bakugo. "Is he going to be alright?" Kinus asked, concerned for his friend.

"He's going to be fine...for the most part," Recovery Girl answered. "His Quirk however is proving to be quite troublesome." She turned to Kinus with the same concerned scowl. "You on other hand. It's bad enough that I have Midoriya becoming a recurring student here. Try not to get yourself checked in for a third time, alright?"

Kinus smiled sheepishly. "Yes, ma'am. I'll be sure to drink more water."

"Good." She then handed him a nurse's slip. "You can go back to class now and hand that over to Mr. Aizawa."

Kinus excused himself and quickly made his way back to the locker room to get his things. He visibly shuddered, wondering how much trouble he was going to get into for passing out in class. Now in the privacy of being alone, the dragon clenched his fist as he let a wave agitation pass over him. Kinus prided himself in always knowing his limits, but for some reason, he was unable to control himself today. It irked the dragon to know that he got too caught up in the moment and just went all out, when he should have just hung back and assessed the situation.

"Think before you act, Kinus…" he muttered to himself, putting on his school clothes and shoving his costume into the steel attachecase.

Kinus wasn't a stranger to passing out due to dehydration. It was something he had to deal with and learned to worked around when he was training with his mentor. The dragon smiled wryly. His mentor would have probably scolded his ear off for acting too brashly. Nonetheless, the dragon sighed. There was no point in getting angry over something that has already happened. Or at least, he did his best not to be anymore.

Kinus was wrapping his tie around his neck when he happened to see a piece of paper sticking out of his costume's case. It was the instruction manual that came with his costume. Kinus nodded to himself and decided to take it with him, carefully folding it and putting it in his pocket. Reading it would most likely help him understand his costume more. He wasn't able to use it to its fullest in today's earlier match, and already, he had an idea or two to improve it. Namely, a way for him to drink water while fighting.

The dragon finished up in the locker room and allowed himself to breathe. Deep breathes, inhale and exhale. It was just a match, and just like any other match, it was a learning experience, or so his mentor would tell him. The clear winner of a battle between two people is the one who could walk away knowing what they did wrong or what they did right for the battle to end the way that it did. Kinus realized that he needed to heed those words and not let his anger get the best of him. He wasn't perfect after all

Inevitably, the dragon walked out of the locker room and headed back to class. "I wonder how everyone else did…" he mumbled to himself, approaching the door. It was audibly noisy inside and Kinus wondered if there was even a teacher present. He slid the door open and he was bombarded with snippets of varying conversations.

"Dude, combat training is awesome! I sure hope we get to do more stuff like that again tomorrow!"

"Heck yeah," came another voice. "The way everyone was so pumped today was great. It was quite manly."

"Did you like how my cape sparkled while I was fighting?"

The chatter all collectively stopped upon everyone seeing the dragon who stood at the door.

Kaminari was the first to be in front of Kinus. "Hey! It's Hazani!" he greeted with a big smile on his face. "You're finally back!"

A group of students began to crowd in front of Kinus and the dragon suddenly felt very self conscious. "Guys, guys," he said, reeling back slightly. "What's the sudden commotion about?"

"You are, hero," Kirishima chimed in. "You were amazing out there. Why didn't you tell us you were such a badass?"

"W-what?"

"We were all cheering for you back at the room," Ashido added. She smiled happily at Kinus and the dragon found himself taken aback at the sudden attention. "The way you dodged those attacks was so awesome. Can you give me some tips sometime?"

"When you snuck up on Todoroki and smacked him across the head, man, that was something! You've got balls on you, Hazani," Kirishima said, patting Kinus on the back. "It was cold as hell but you guys turned up the heat."

Kinus smiled sheepishly in response. Sero then appeared behind Kirishima a big grin on his face. "I can't believe you managed to actually beat those two as well. I thought you were kind of a pushover at the Quirk Assessment Test. But you sure showed me!"

The dragon chuckled, feeling happy that his first performance in front of everyone gave off a strong lasting impression. Tsuyu popped out from behind Ashido. "Are you okay though, Hazani?" she asked. "We were worried because you passed out."

"Oh that's right," Ashido said and looked at Kinus. "You don't look hurt though. What happened in there anyway?"

"I passed out because of dehydration," Kinus answered. "It's just a thing that happens with me. If I use to much of my Quirk, I get thirsty. If I don't drink water, dehydration sets in and, well...I pass out. I'm perfectly fine, Asui."

"Please, Hazani, call me Tsuyu," she answered, beaming at him.

"See, Ojiro, you had nothing to worry about!"

Kinus looked behind the group of students in front of him and saw Ojiro, Tokoyami and Jiro next to each other. Jiro was patting Ojiro on the back, who was sighing in relief. Kinus decided to walk over to them to see what was up. "Hey guys," he greeted.

"Hazani! I'm so glad you're safe," Ojiro said, smiling at him. "I was worried what had happened after you went after Todoroki."

"I'm still alive, so I suppose I must have did something right," he answered. "Sorry for leaving you back there, but all's well that ends well, right?"

"Don't try to take all the spotlight, Hazani, Ojiro over here managed to stand his ground as well," Jiro said, smirking at the boy who was smiling sheepishly. "He was so pumped after seeing you go after Todoroki, he didn't give Shoji a chance to fight back." The girl did some mock punches in the air to give as an example. "Ojiro did the one two punch combo!"

"Oh what? Really?!" Kinus asked, glancing at Ojiro who just shrugged in response. "I wish I could have seen that!"

"After seeing you work so hard, I had to step up my game!" Ojiro said, "I think we make a pretty good team."

Kinus chuckled. "Isn't that obvious? We're the tail bros after all!"

"That is the lamest thing I have ever heard," Jiro said, but a smile soon crept up at the side of her lips. "Yet it's the most appropriate for the both of you."

Tokoyami, who had been silent throughout this entire exchange, finally made his presence known. "Just don't let it go to your head," he said sagely. "If that were a real fight, you passing out would have been a fatal mistake. Besides, if Todoroki would have used his fire quirk he'd have beaten you easily."

Kinus's brow rose as the world registered in his mind. "Fire Quirk?"

"Oh that's right…" Jiro answered. "Yeah, Todoroki can do fire and ice. He just happened to not use the fire side of his Quirk today."

The dragon gulped. Fire was a heavy counter to Kinus, whether he liked to admit that or not. Everything he did required water. If fire was thrown into the mix, things would have ended up going very differently. "How did you guys know?"

"He melted the ice afterwards," Ojiro answered. "I couldn't believe it myself."

Tokoyami nodded. "Like I said, if that was a serious fight, you'd have been dead. Passing out at the end was a bad idea."

Kinus frowned, annoyed at being reminded of his mistake, but he knew that Tokoyami meant well. Plus, the bird did have a point. "Yeah...I'll make sure to get that addressed."

"Oh don't be such a wet blanket, Tokoyami," Jiro chided, "Hazani did well for standing up against Todoroki. I don't think I would have lasted long enough to time him out if I had to fight him myself. I don't think anyone would have really."

"I'll agree with you there," Ojiro said. "It was honestly scary to fight against him when I realized the difference in our power. I mean, he did freeze my legs after all."

Jiro nodded then said, "The guy's a monster."

"I'm right here you know."

Everyone's head snapped up to look at Todoroki who was silently sitting behind Tokoyami. He had a blank expression on his face and was staring at them. He was staring at Kinus more specifically. Admittedly, Kinus became curious as to why the boy didn't use his fire. It would have been obvious that using it would have immediately put him at a great advantage over him.

"I meant that as a compliment," Jiro said, smiling at him.

Todoroki's expression remained stoic, almost lifeless even. He then eventually broke eye contact, muttering a low 'thanks' in response. Wanting to at least be on friendly terms with the guy, Kinus took the initiative and then said, "Hey Todoroki."

The boy turned to look at him.

"It was a nice fight."

There was a moment of silence before the boy eventually offered a response. A simple, curt nod, before staring at the drab wall as if it had something interesting on it to grab his attention. Kinus mentally sighed. Todoroki was giving Tokoyami a run for his money when it came to interaction.

Behind him, the door slid open once more. Kinus turned around to find a familiar plain looking boy step inside.

"Hey, it's Midoriya!"

The dragon let out a yawn as he stood up and began to pack his things. The long day of school had finally ended. Kinus let out an exhausted sigh, beginning to feel the effects of the beating he went through. He had a feeling he was going to be sore in the morning. His shoulder was already beginning to feel stiff and his back was aching whenever he tried to bend over. It was going to be a painful road to recovery. Grabbing his backpack, he began to headout, eager to get home. It was when he stepped through the front door of the school that he saw a familiar figure seemingly waiting for him.

"Heading home?" Resting his back on one of the pillars was Tokoyami.

"I am, actually," Kinus answered, smiling at his friend.

Tokoyami silently motioned with his thumb and Kinus silently nodded. They then began to head out, two friends walking home with one another. The dragon was the first to break the silence between them. "You know, I never got to ask," he began, "how did your performance go anyway?" The bird's brow rose, prompting Kinus to clarify. "You were partnered with Tsuyu, right"

"Ah, that..." the bird answered. "It went well."

It was times like this that really frustrated Kinus at Tokoyami's somewhat succinct personality. It wouldn't kill him to elaborate a little.

"It went well? Really, Tokoyami?" Kinus turned his head to see Dark Shadow make his appearance. The figure perched itself on the bird's shoulder and smiled down on the both of them. "You're kind of selling it short there."

"What is there left to say other than that?"

"That it was awesome!" Dark Shadow countered. "But I understand if you want to downplay it a bit. I get that you wanted to show off." His yellow eyes then turned to look at Kinus. "But unfortunately the person you wanted to show off to wasn't around to see it."

Tokoyami flinched a bit, and glared at Dark Shadow from the corner of his eyes. The comment however seemingly flew past Kinus as the dragon's curiosity got the better of him. "So? How did you guys do anyways?" he directed his question to Dark Shadow this time.

"Well, Hazani," the shadow bird crossed his arms across his chest, "I had the pleasure of smacking those kids around while bird boy over here stood and watch."

"Okay now, that is uncalled for. I did my own part-"

"Unfortunately, one of them, Kirishima, was it? He got close to Tokoyami and managed to score a decent hit." Dark Shadow motioned to Tokoyami's face and the dragon focused his eyes. It was barely noticeable, but it was there. It was hidden almost perfectly by his black feathers, but the tell tale signs of swelling was on his face. "It was a perfect run until that happened." Dark Shadow shook his head disappointedly.

"But did you guys win?" Kinus asked.

"Did we win?" Dark Shadow asked rhetorically. "What kind of question is that? Of course we won! But that wasn't the best part. Do you know what is?"

Kinus cocked his head to the side, wondering what had the shadow figure grinning so widely. "What is?"

"All Might basically told Tokoyami to work out more."

The dragon couldn't tell whether Dark Shadow was joking or being serious. Either way, he found himself chuckling at the statement. "Wait what?" he spared a glance to Tokoyami and for the first time found the bird looking genuinely embarrassed. "Why? What made him say that?"

"He said that Tokoyami needed to be on par with his own Quirk," Dark Shadow puffed out his chest and flexed in front of Kinus. "What was the point of having a strong Quirk if you're not strong enough to wield it."

"I am strong, thank you very much," Tokoyami spat out, sounding clearly annoyed at Dark Shadow's targeted insults. His feathers ruffled slightly, and Kinus could tell that this was a touchy subject for him.

"Hey, don't get angry at me," Dark Shadow said dismissively. "Not my words." He then turned to Kinus and shrugged. "But yeah, that was the pro hero's advice. Maybe you can help, Hazani."

"Help?" The statement caught Kinus off guard. "Help how?"

"Did you see yourself out there earlier today?" Dark Shadow asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You've got moves, dragon boy. I'll give you that. Tokoyami over here can learn a thing or two from you."

Tokoyami responded with a snort, turning his head towards the side to avoid Kinus's looks at him. Kinus smiled wryly. "I mean…" The dragon scratched the back of his head. He never thought of himself ever teaching others how to fight. He expected that being able to fight was the norm, especially for those who wanted to become a hero. That was like...almost the unspoken rule, aside from having a Quirk that is. "If you're interested," he told Tokoyami with a shrug, "sure I guess? Though I'm not sure what to teach you."

"Hand to hand would be a start," Dark Shadow answered for his companion, "this guy barely knows how to throw a punch correctly, let alone take one."

Tokoyami frowned. "I know how to punch, Dark Shadow. You don't have to put me down that much."

"Yeah, but taking one is different from throwing one. Kirishima nearly knocked you out, and that wasn't even a strong punch to begin with," Dark Shadow answered flatly.

Tokoyami remained silent, his expression stoic but Kinus could tell that the shadow's words cut through him deep. The dragon offered a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'll be happy to teach you a few things if you're interested." The bird turned his head to face him, a smile slowly forming across his sullen face. "And don't worry about hurting me," Kinus added, "I can take it." He tapped the side of his face. "My scales aren't just for show."

"I'll say. You took those hits head on, Hazani," Dark Shadow remarked.

"I'm durable, but I'm not immune to pain," Kinus replied back, and instinctively touched his shoulders as it ached at that moment. "Todoroki was a tough opponent." His mind flashed back to the fight he had with the ice Quirk wielder. Compared to everyone else, Todoroki seemed the most well rounded in terms of capabilities. He had a full understanding of his Quirk and was able to manipulate it to do whatever he wanted it to. The fact that he was able to freeze the entire building just showed how strong his Quirk was. "And he was just using his ice, right?" Kinus asked. "I was told he had fire…" The dragon gulped. "That fight would have went very differently if he used it…"

"Maybe he wanted to handicap himself? Maybe he thought you guys were small fries enough that he didn't need to?" Dark Shadow suggested. "Either way, him not using it shouldn't take away the merit of your performance, Hazani. You did well."

"That's true. Best believe he won't underestimate you so easily anymore, Hazani," Tokoyami added. "You should have seen him in the classroom after the training exercise. Suffice to say, you must have rattled his confidence quite a lot."

The dragon gulped. "I did get the feeling that someone was staring at my back before class ended…"

"I think it's clear to everyone that you're a force to be reckoned with after that performance," Tokoyami commented.

"Well, I mean, I don't want to anger people or anything…" Kinus answered sheepishly. The last thing he wanted was to be on bad terms with people. It wasn't like Kinus could stop being good just for the sake of others egos.

"You won't be able to help it, Hazani," Dark Shadow said, shrugging. "Competition is fierce. Everyone wants to be on top. It's normal for rivalries to form."

That was when the thought entered Kinus's mind once more."Do you think that's the reason why Midoriya and Bakugo seem so heated with each other?"

"Most probably," Tokoyami answered. "With the way Bakugo was performing earlier, it seemed he was hell bent on proving himself to be better than Midoriya. Either that, or he just wants to be better than the rest of us." His eyes flicked upwards which prompted the bird to smirk. "Speak of the devil…"

Kinus looked forward and sure enough, there he was. Bakugo was leaning against a wall, drinking a canned beverage he got from the nearby vending machine. With the way he was staring at the ground, one would think it owed him money. His entire posture told Kinus that he was tense. Was he still hung up over what happened between him and Midoriya?

Whether it was his good nature, just friendly, sociable personality, or he just happened to not have been thinking straight, Kinus decided to greet his fellow classmate. "Hey Bakugo," the dragon greeted, giving the boy a warm smile. "You alright?"

Tokoyami's eyes flicked towards Kinus but he remained stoic. His blank expression perfectly masking his thoughts of what Kinus was doing. Was this really the right time to be talking to the boy? Dark Shadow on the other hand remained quiet, wondering where this was going to go. Nonetheless Bakugo responded, looking up to meet Kinus's eyes. His face contorted to that of a grimace, a guttural growl coming from within him. "Buzz off, lizard face."

Kinus's brow twitched slightly from the insult thrown at him, but he wasn't daft. He mumbled an apology, and decided to give the frustrated boy his personal space. Moving forward, it took Kinus and Tokoyami a few steps forward before they heard a low boom come from behind them. The dragon turned his head to see Bakugo clenching his fist. The can of soda he was holding crushed and charred in his right hand. He turned his head towards the both of them and gave them a dirty look.

"Just you wait, bastards. I'm going to be better than all of you. You hear me?" he asked rhetorically and pointed a finger at Kinus. "I'm going to be better than you, lizard!" He then pointed to Tokoyami. "And you too, bird! Don't you dare think you're better than me just because you have that shadow of yours!" Bakugo then proceed to vaporize the can he held in his hand and threw it violently towards the trash can.

Kinus and Tokoyami watched as Bakugo walked away from the both of them, turning down a corner a few moments later and disappeared from view.

"Like I said," Dark Shadow's voice was the first to break the silence. "Rivalries are inevitable."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **How do you like them fight scenes? I seriously had genuine fun writing this out. I admit, I had to take some creative liberty when it came to choreographing how the fight was going to go. Showing a fight scene in anime is radically different compared to reading about one. I have to be more careful in what I write because it's quite easy to lose the picture I'm trying to paint. I do hope that the fight I made between Todoroki and Kinus was at least vivid enough to give you guys an exciting fight to read about.**

 **Also, for all the people who have been marking this story as a favorite, leaving kudos, comments and feedback, marking this story for a follow as well as me as writer, for all of those things: thank you very much. I admit, a story with an OC protagonist is a bit of a hard sell compared to other stories in the fandom, say shipping stories and whatnot. I really appreciate the readers who are sticking around to read the story I have about my OC.**

 **Again, thank you so much. Hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it.**


	7. Chapter 7 Class Positions

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 7

Class Positions

"Ah, I understand Mr. Hazani, we'll make sure to have this addressed in the next prototype of your suit. Would that be all?"

The dragon scratched his chin. On his desk in front of him were the various documentations that were given to him in regards to his hero costume. He grabbed one of the papers and sighed thoughtfully. "Nah, I think that's about it. I hope that's not too much of a trouble."

The support company representative chuckled on the other line. "Far from it, sir. We were actually thinking of already implementing something like it and presenting it to you as a possible upgrade. I believe you'll like what we've had designed in the lab."

The dragon grinned. "I'm already looking forward to it! Thanks again!"

"You're welcome. We'll be in touch."

There was then a knock on his door. "Kinus?"

"Yeah, mom?"

The door opened and his mother peeked in. "Dinner's ready," she said, and then her eyes lit up upon seeing the photo his son had on his desktop. "Oh, wow, is that your costume?"

Kinus stood aside as his mother came into his room and looked at his costume. "Yeah, it is," he answered. "Do you think it's a bit too much?"

Ruby scratched her chin and looked at the high quality photo of the hero costume, then back to her son. Her mouth curved to that of a smile. "It suits you perfectly! Have you worn it already?"

"I have!" Kinus answered enthusiastically. "We did some training exercises earlier and got to wear them as part of class. I just called the support company for some minor changes."

The red dragoness's eyes darted back to the hero costume. "Your father would be very proud."

Kinus beamed, and nodded. "I took inspiration from the photos we have of dad in costume and decided to throw a few things here and there to give it my own style."

Ruby grabbed one of the paper documents and noted the gadget that would have been strapped onto Kinus's back. "It sucks in water for you, huh?" Kinus nodded. Then a question popped into Ruby's head. "Would this be durable enough that it won't break out in the field?"

Kinus paused. "I'm not sure…" he answered. "I'll have to find that in the documentation. I'll be sure to ask that in an email to the support company though. Thanks for the heads up, mom."

The dragoness smiled down at him. "I just want to keep my hero safe." She patted Kinus's head. "The next thing I know you're going to be just like your dad." The dragoness let out a dreamy sigh, remembering Kinus's father fondly in her memories. "Do you still remember the stories I told you about him?"

Kinus nodded.

Pleased, she touched Kinus's nose affectionately. "Good. Because if your father can see you now, he'd be very proud of you for your accomplishments, Kinus." She gave the dragon a tender hug, rubbing his back. Eventually, she pulled away, and said, "Now come on, I'm hungry, and I'm sure you are too."

Nodding, Kinus allowed himself to be led out of the room and into the dining room, eager to get some much needed dinner after a long and tiring day.

"You there! Lizard!"

Kinus's path was quickly blocked by a reporter who looked desperate and haggard from all the journalism she had been doing that morning. His eyes twitched upon the words of the woman sinking into him. Kinus snorted, wondering whether he should entertain the reporter or just straight up ignore her. He eventually rolled his eyes and stopped walking. There was no need to be rude, but seriously, was she blind or something? "Yes?" he replied, doing his best to remain polite.

"Are you a student of the Hero course?"

Like predators honing in on their prey, a group of reporters magically appeared out of nowhere and began to crowd around Kinus. Wireless microphones and phones recording dialogue were shoved in front his face, each journalist clearly thirsty for whatever soundbyte they could muster. Kinus was beginning to wonder if he made the right choice as they were invading his personal space already. He visibly flinched back slightly, trying to give himself some breathing room. "Y-yes," he answered. He felt a shiver down his spine as the eyes of the reporters visibly twinkled upon hearing his affirmation.

One of the female journalist immediately spoke up, quick and straight to the point. "What do you think of the All Might as a teacher?"

"He's...uh…" Kinus found his mind coming up blank right then and there. Being interviewed by media was the last thing he expected to experience this morning. "...fine?" he blurted out, saying the first word that came to his mind. The journalists nodded, a few began writing feverishly in a notepad they had taken out of their pocket.

"Anything else? What sort of teacher is he like? What are his teaching methods?" the journalist asked, clearly thirsty for more content.

It was then that Kinus noticed the camera that was pointed at him and the blinking red light told him that it was probably recording footage of him. Sighing, the dragon decided to actually put some thought into his answer. The last thing he wanted was to look like a buffoon unable to answer a simple question. Clearing his throat, he then said, "he's a fine teacher," he shrugged to emphasize his point. "He's the type of teacher who teaches you with experience rather than lectures and theoreticals. It's clear that this teaching position is important to him and I personally look forward to learning more from him." He smiled, feeling proud of his statement.

The reporters ate it all up, the one taking notes flicking through his notepad like a man possessed, his ballpen flying through the pages. One of the reporters was about to ask another question when a loud voice from behind Kinus grabbed their attention.

"Hazani!"

Kinus turned his head and froze. It came from none other than Mr. Aizawa and he was walking towards them. The look of annoyance, tiredness mixed with frustration was etched as clear as day on his face. "What are you still doing out here? Get to class already."

The dragon breathed a mental sigh of relief. He thought for sure he was going to be scolded for being late. "Y-yes, sir!" He quickly left the reporters who were now happy to target their questions to the teacher that was now present. He jogged past Aizawa, who just sighed and began to plainly dismiss the reporters with his usual flat tone of voice.

"Oh hey, Hazani!" Sero cried out as he waltzed through the front door of the classroom. "I see you made it through this morning's obstacle unscathed."

The dragon chuckled, and he made a beeline towards his seat. "I barely made it out of there with my life."

"Didn't I give you a heads up last night?" came Tokoyami's voice. The bird turned to face him, cocking his head towards the side.

"Yeah, yeah," Hazani answered, taking out his notebook from his backpack and setting it down on his desk. "I didn't think you were serious when you said I should watch out for rabid reporters wanting to get a sound byte." He grinned. "It looked like they just wanted to get a bite out of me!"

Tokoyami rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Believe me," Yaoyorozu spoke up from behind him, "they've been there for days now. They've wanted nothing more than to know what's All Might like."

"But you answered their question, right?" Kinus asked.

Tokoyami shook his head. "They're not worth my time. I've got better things to do."

"I did," Yaoyorozu replied. She cocked her head to the side and placed her hand under the bottom of her chin. "Though, I don't think they were remotely interested in whatever I was saying to be honest. I think they just wanted to some sensational soundbytes to use for their media coverage." She turned to face Todoroki who remained silent but was clearly listening in on their conversation. "How about you?"

The boy blinked, but then answered, "all they were interested in was what my father's thoughts were in regards to All Might being my teacher. Or something like that."

"Your father? Why would that matter?" Kinus asked.

"Oh that's right," Yaoyorozu said, "Yeah...that feels a bit too underhanded. I think they were just trying to get some gossip material at that point."

Kinus turned to Tokoyami who answered his question for him. "Todoroki's father is Endeavor, the second best hero out there behind All Might."

The dragon blinked, his mind flashing him the image of the large muscular hero who was renowned for his Hell Flame Quirk. He appeared on television every now and then, being interviewed by reporter because of a crime he put to a halt, or civilians he saved during a tense standoff with villains. If there was one thing he could say about Endeavor, was that he came across as intimidating, compared to All Might who appeared to be approachable and down to earth. His eyes darted to Todoroki. Maybe that was partly the reason why the boy was aloof.

But that also then explained why Todoroki was so skilled. He clearly had so much to live up to. Todoroki shrugged in response to Yaoyorozu's comment. "It doesn't really matter to me. I told them that All Might's a decent teacher, much like my father. They're both good in their own rights, I suppose…" With the way his voice trailed, Kinus got the sense that there was something more there that Todoroki wasn't telling. But the dragon knew it wasn't in his place to pry no matter how much it piqued his curiosity.

The doors slid opened and everyone quieted down as Aizawa marched into the room, still looking tired and lacking in sleep. He stood in front of the podium and began to address the class, putting his paperwork for the day in front of him.

"Good work on yesterday's combat training. I saw the video and results." His eyes darted towards the student in front of Midoriya. "Bakugo, you're talented so don't act like a kid."

The boy just sighed dismissively. "I know," he grumbled.

"Midoriya." Kinus saw the boy visibly stiffen up and lower his head. "What did I tell you about breaking your arm?" Aizawa asked rhetorically. "You can't keep saying you can't help it because you can't control your Quirk. I don't like saying the same thing over and over again," he warned. "Get this thing sorted out and you'll be able to do more than what you can now."

The dragon cocked his head to the side, surprised. Was Aizawa actually giving encouraging advice? He allowed himself to smile. Maybe the guy wasn't as heartless as he made himself out to be.

"What else…" Aizawa scratched the scruff on his chin. He shifted through some of his papers and then said, "oh yeah. Hazani," The dragon's ears perked up as he heard his name get called. "Good job on holding your own against Todoroki. Your performance was stellar, but be sure to know your limits however." Aizawa's brows furrowed. "It's bad enough that I have to deal with Midoriya. Don't add yourself to my list of problems. Got it?"

Kinus nodded. "Yes sir."

Aizawa then cleared his throat. "With that out of the way, let's get down to business. Our first task, would decide your future."

The atmosphere around the room collectively got serious. It sounded way too ominous. Kinus gulped. Was this another one of Aizawa's Quirk tests again?

"You all need to decide on a class representative."

Kinus released the breath he was holding. He was beginning to wonder if Aizawa was just being dramatic for the sake of being dramatic or if he was just doing it because he found it amusing. Either way, everyone was pleased that it was just something plain and ordinary for a change. The entire room exploded in a flurry of activity.

"I want to be class rep! Pick me!" Kirishima shouted, followed by Kaminari sharing his own sentiments in wanting to be class rep.

Everyone was raising their voice above one another in hopes of having Aizawa pick them. Kinus smiled, finding it amusing that Tokoyami looked annoyed at how everyone was being noisy. "Do you want to be class rep?" he asked the bird.

Tokoyami thought for a brief moment, then answered, "If it is in the fate of the cards, then it shall be." He then cocked his head to the side then followed with, "You?"

The dragon shook his head. "Not really," he said with a shrug. Tokoyami was caught off guard by his answer and Kinus promptly clarified, saying, "I don't think I can handle the responsibility honestly. I'm not sure if I have it in me to lead a group of people," he answered sheepishly.

"But taking the role would allow you to practice," Tokoyami countered.

Kinus nodded. The bird did have a point. "True…"

"SILENCE! Everyone, please!"

Iida's voice pierced through the rowdy class and everyone quieted down as Iida stood up. He fixed his glasses then said, "A class representative's duty is to lead others! It's not something anyone can do. You must first have the trust of everyone in the classroom. Therefore, I believe that in order for us to find this person, I suggest we do it democratically. We must hold an election."

"But we've only known each other for a few days, how do we know who we can trust?" Asui asked.

"Besides, everyone would just vote for themselves," Kirishima added.

"Yes! But that means that whoever does receive the most votes means he's the most suitable person for the job." Iida turned to Aizawa who was busying himself by zipping up in his yellow sleeping bag. "What do you think, Mr. Aizawa?"

"Do what you want, just decide before my nap is over."

Kinus had to admit, Aizawa definitely had a unique style in handling class matters. Everyone began to deliberate amongst themselves, wondering if this was the best way to go about settling this. But inevitably, they all collectively decided that perhaps it was the best way to go forward. The lingering feeling of everyone voting for themselves hung in the air as they all began to write down their votes as to who they wanted to be class representative. The dragon thought carefully, tapping the side of his cheeks with his pen.

"A leader…" he mumbled to himself as he stared at the piece of paper he held in his hands.

Kinus eyes darted around and he began to objectively examine his classmates. He was on friendly terms with almost everyone in the class, being able to chat with them in the group chat helped greatly at that matter. But admittedly, Kinus only knew a select few of them closely. The dragon scratched the back of his head, doing his best to think of moments that he could use as reference that would serve as a basis for someone's leaderships skill. He was tempted to vote for himself just for the hell of it, but the dragon shook his head. That was a waste of a vote. Kinus didn't want to be class representative. His eyes then darted towards Iida. The boy was feverishly looking at his paper, clearly in deep concentration. It was like this vote meant life or death.

The dragon smiled. Maybe he should vote for Iida. Besides, the boy was the only one who had enough sense to actually suggest this voting procedure to begin with. Kinus cocked his head towards the side and began to think of situations that would help back up his decision. It didn't take long for him to remember that Iida was a stickler for the rules and that was the only thing he needed to move him to cast his vote.

Eventually, the papers were gathered and then tallied. Silence wrapped the class as the results were displayed on the blackboard.

Everyone's eyes darted towards the top and were all equally floored upon finding Midoriya to have been the most voted.

"HOW DID I GET THREE VOTES?!" Midoriya exclaimed.

"OKAY YOU IDIOTS! Who voted for him?!" Bakugo cried out, standing up and looking angrily at the class.

"Did you honestly think anyone was going to vote for you?" Sero countered.

Everyone could see Iida looking flustered. "One vote?!" he said. "Thank you…" he said lowly, "whoever you may be. Your vote means a lot to me."

Kinus smiled, and made a mental note to cheer the boy up later. It was obvious that this election meant a lot to him. His eyes then drifted downwards to see who else came behind Midoriya. The dragon's eyes flicked past the names, then he stopped and did a double take. He then blinked just to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Right below Midoriya's name was his own.

"What the hell?!" Kinus exclaimed louder than he intended to. "Who voted for me?!"

He had two votes attributed to him, and below his name was Yaoyorozu, with two votes as well.

"You guys voted for the lizard?!" Bakugo cried out.

"You're only continuing to prove my point, Bakugo," Sero added, shaking his head.

Kinus blinked, unable to process the sudden turn of events. He looked at Tokoyami next to him who had his head propped up by his hand and had his eyes closed, clearly disinterested at what was going on. "Did you vote for me?" he dared to ask.

"Asking who you voted for is quite unethical, Hazani," he replied, opening an eye to look at him. "Maybe some of our classmates just think you'd be good as a leader."

It was then Aizawa decided to chime in. "Alright, our class rep would be Midoriya. Our deputy class rep however…" his eyes turned towards Kinus and Yaoyorozu's direction, "you two need to decide this now."

Kinus turned his head to see Yaoyorozu filled with determination. "Hazani," she said, addressing him. "I think that-"

"You should be the deputy rep."

"In order...wait what?" She stopped, clearly caught off guard by his statement. Everyone was taken off kilter at how easily he gave up the chance to fight for the position. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," Kinus answered. "I don't want to be a representative."

"Why not?" Yaoyorozu asked curiously, speaking the question that was on everyone's mind.

"I know my own limits," he said humbly, "which is why I personally think I'm not responsible enough to take this position." Kinus smiled. "Besides, I think you'd be better at it than I am, seeing how you did yesterday with your breakdown of the training results."

Yaoyorozu was seemingly left stunned at the compliment. She was about to say something again when Aizawa spoke before her. "Alright, I'll take that. Hazani is stepping down so that means Yaoyorozu will be your class deputy representative."

"R-Really…?" Midoriya blurted out, shaking like a tree against a strong wind. It was clear that he wasn't expecting something like this to happen.

"This might not be so bad…" Asui remarked.

"What is wrong with you?"

Kinus blinked, surprised at the sudden scolding he was getting from his classmate. Ojiro was scowling at him as the two of them seated themselves at a free table in the cafeteria. Midoriya and company were there as well, with the green haired boy muttering if he was competent enough to be a class representative.

"What are you talking about?" Kinus asked, looking at the boy.

"Why did you decline the position?" Ojiro asked intently.

Hearing the conversation, Uraraka leaned in, curious to hear Kinus's reasoning. "Yeah. I'm surprised you declined, Hazani. Being a class representative is something people chase after. It's good training for future leadership roles. I mean, even Iida wants to be one, but he got voted out of it." The boy instinctively flinched at the sudden comment about him.

The dragon sighed, idly playing with the food on the plate. "I meant what I said earlier. I don't think I'm cut out enough to hold that kind of responsibility. Being a class representative that is." He glanced at them shrugging. "I'm more of a follower, you know?"

"True, but like Uraraka said, it's good training for future leadership roles, Hazani." Iida fixed his glasses on his head. "It can be a place to start your foundations. It's why I voted for Midoriya. His quick thinking and ability to adapt whilst under stress and overwhelming odds proves to me he that can be a good leader down the line. Well, at least in my point of view anyway."

"So you were the one that voted for me!" Midoriya cried out.

"Though, I can see why people would vote for you as well, Hazani. You showed that you can work well with your partner even against an astounding foe like Todoroki. It shows that you can be a team player, able to utilize both your skill sets to even the odds." Iida smiled at them. "I may have voted for you if I wasn't as impressed with Midoriya, given his own faults."

"Thanks, Iida," Kinus added. "I appreciate the vote of confidence at least. Aside from my personal insecurities in being a leader, part of the reason why I don't want to be a class representative is because of the extra work." The dragon smiled sheepishly, much to the incredulous expressions on everyone's faces. "Hey, don't look at me like that! I have enough trouble as it is in school. I'm not down for extra curriculars."

"You're just lazy," Uraraka teased.

"I'm just being honest," Kinus clapped back.

"And that is still a quality of a good leader!" Midoriya quipped.

Everyone laughed at the joke, good mood being spread all around. Munching on his food, a thought popped into Kinus's head that he proceed to voice out. "But Iida," he said, grabbing the attention of the boy. "Why did you vote for Midoriya instead of yourself? You seemed like you really wanted to be a class representative."

Iida took a sip from his drink before answering the question. "Wanting to be a leader and being fit to be one are two radically different things. Observing the Iida family hero agency has taught me that."

Tokoyami, who was quietly listening in on their conversation throughout this entire time, finally made his presence known. "Did I hear that right? Hero Agency?" he asked again, voicing the question on everyone's mind. "I didn't know you had such a rich history, Iida."

Iida looked a bit flustered, but seeing the surprised and curious expressions on everyone's faces prompted him to clarify. The boy sighed, realizing the secret was out. "I do my best not to mention it as I'd prefer to not be treated differently." Midoriya and Uraraka both look utterly impressed, their eyes shining brightly. "Yes, my family has been heroes for generations. It's in our blood."

"Seriously?" Ojiro asked. "That's awesome!"

"Are any of you familiar with the Turbo Hero, Ingenium?"

"I know all about him!" Midoriya could barely contain his excitement. "He's a popular hero with 65 sidekicks working with him at his Tokyo Agency! Wait...don't tell me…"

Iida proudly puffed out his chest. "He's my elder brother!"

Everyone around the table were equally at awe at the new fact coming to light about Iida. Ojiro looked amazed, as well as Midoriya and Uraraka. Kinus just smiled warmly, and nodded. Iida's situation was something Kinus could relate to. Tokoyami on the other hand remained calm and collected, with only a hint of an impressed smile tugging at the corner of his beak.

"Ingenium is an unmatched commander who honors the rules and leads people," Iida said, brimming with pride. "As the second oldest Iida son, I strive to be just like him. However I think it is still too soon for me to lead others." He turned to Midoriya. "You figured out what the judges were looking for in the practical exam. A class representative requires that level of insight."

Midoriya smiled sheepishly. "Well, I can't honestly take that credit."

"Why's that?" Ojiro asked. "That's awesome that you figured out the entrance exam, Midoriya. Iida's right, you have great insight." The boy proceeded to scratch the back of his head. "I was honestly clueless that there was a hidden scoring system to all of it, myself."

"The thing is, I…"

But before Midoriya could say another word, a loud alarm bell began to ring across the entire building, grabbing everyone's attention. It reminded Kinus of a fire alarm. "What's going on?" the dragon asked, looking around concerned.

"There has been a level 3 security breach. All students please evacuate outdoors promptly."

The other students in the cafeteria began to stand up, others rushing towards the exit.

"What's going on? What's a level 3 security breach?" Iida asked to one of the students that passed by.

"It means someone is trespassing on school grounds! I've never seen anything like this!" the boy replied, before taking off on his own to towards the exit.

Everyone looked at each other before leaving their meals behind to follow through. The sense of urgency and seriousness was clear and no one was messing around. But things went to a grinding halt as they all got squished together by the rushing crowd of students, clamoring to get to the exit.

"Ow! Stop pushing!"

"You're hurting me!"

"Get out of the way damn it!"

Kinus gritted his teeth. It would take a miracle for someone to not get trampled on in this mass stampede happening. The dragon looked around and was unable to find his classmates anymore. They must have gotten themselves pulled in as well. The writhing mass of bodies inched forward and Kinus found himself get carried away in the process. By mere chance he got pushed towards the side, and that was when he felt something grab onto his uniform and forcefully pull him towards an empty hallway that was free from the body of students. Kinus's form landed on the empty floor with a loud thud.

"Sheesh, you're heavy, you know that?"

The dragon looked up, coughing slightly. It was hard to breathe when everyone was pressing up against him. Bright yellow eyes looked down on him and he recognized them instantly. "Dark Shadow?"

He nodded. "You're welcome," the shadow replied, extending a hand towards him.

Kinus reached for it and helped himself up, surprised to find the shadowy hand to be a physical one. It didn't take the dragon long to find the shadow's owner, standing calmly against the wall.

"I don't like mixing with crowds," Tokoyami said, as if answering an unspoken question written on Kinus's face. "Are you alright, Hazani?"

"I'm fine," he answered. "Thank you. What about the others?"

"I can't find them," Dark Shadow answered, looking at the mass of students passing by them. Everyone was so keen in reaching for the exit, they ignored the empty hallway they were in entirely. "Tokoyami here told me to make sure to grab you first though; lucky that I found you when I did."

Kinus offered a thankful smile to the bird. "I'm touched."

"Think nothing of it."

Their short conversation was then interrupted when the sound of engines revving up pierced through the cacophony of sounds. Kinus turned around to find a spinning blur whiz by atop the heads of the students and crash against the concrete wall. "Is that…"

"EVERYONE! Everything's fine!"

Yep. That was none other than his classmate, Iida, looking slightly flustered and his glasses nowhere to be found. His position above the hall allowed his voice to travel clearly and concise, and he immediately filled them in on the situation that was currently happening.

"So it was just the media…" Kinus heard Tokoyami mutter from behind him.

Kinus turned around, feeling relief wash over him. He had to admit, a part of him was worried that something serious had really gone down. Thankfully it was the opposite. The sound of sirens blaring from the distance only helped to relax him even further. "Well at least nothing serious happened."

"Hmph, and here I was hoping for some action," Dark Shadow commented. "I could have used the exercise."

"Let us not tempt fate, Dark Shadow," Tokoyami reproached.

"Yeah. We should be grateful it wasn't villains or anything," Kinus added. "Because if that were the case, that would have been really bad."

"But wouldn't that be a good thing?" the shadow countered, making the two of them stop. "Aren't you heroes in training? A villain attack would be perfect training experience."

Both Kinus and Tokoyami looked at each other. It sounded insane, but Dark Shadow did have a good point. "Well…" Kinus began, trying to find something to say. "Experience is experience but I'd much rather be alive afterwards to learn from it."

"I concur with Hazani. We mustn't go looking for fights."

Dark Shadow pouted, crossing his arms across his chest before slinking back into Tokoyami's considerably smaller figure. "You guys are no fun. Wake me in case something serious happens."

"Is he always this…" Kinus thought for a moment, "this proactive?"

An amused smile formed on Tokoyami's beak. "Quite frankly the opposite. He'd much rather be sleeping than be doing anything else if it were up to him. It's only through my desires and constant vigilance that he ever gets anything done at all."

"Then how come he wants to go out there and fight villains all of a sudden?"

"I think it's because he just wants to show off."

The dragon stopped for a brief moment, taken off guard by the statement. "I'm sorry what?"

But before Tokoyami could even utter another word, a black hand materialized beside him and gently jabbed him at the side of the head. "Ow!"

"Go to class already. It's too noisy here."

"Dark Shadow, don't hurt him," Kinus reprimanded, although his tone was betraying the emotion he wanted to convey.

Tokoyami huffed, looking annoyed but let it slide for now. Seeing the crowd of students slowly dissipate as Iida successfully diffused the tension, he began to walk forward. "Come on Hazani, let's get back to class."

"Right behind you."

With the commotion out of the way, the excitement died down and the students of Class-1A gathered once again in their room to continue with their afternoon session of classes. Kinus was amused at how badly Midoriya was shaking as he stood in front of all of them. It was clear to everyone that he wasn't the type of person who was used to public speaking. It was a stark comparison against Yaoyorozu who looked calm, collected and otherwise unbothered by the attention directed towards her.

"I-it's time we decide on our other class officers," Midoriya said. "But first, can I say something? I think that….Tenya Iida should be our class representative!" Everyone was taken by surprise at the sudden outburst, and even more so at the claim that was spoken. "When everyone was stampeding earlier in the cafeteria, he was able to think fast, and quickly get us all organized. With that kind of prowess, I think it would be best if he should lead us from now on."

Kinus spared a glance at Iida's direction, and noted at how surprised he was at the compliment being directed towards him. "You know, I can get behind that," Kirishima said. "If Midoriya's vouching for him, then I'm good. Plus he was a total big help. He totally manned up and took charge!"

Comments of everyone on the sentiment filled the room. It would seem the decision was already clear.

"This is a waste of time," Aizawa spoke up, ruining the touching moment. "I don't care who the class rep is, just get it over with."

"Well if the current class representative nominates me, then it can't be helped." Iida stood up and proudly puffed out his chest. "I, Tenya Iida, gladly accept this position! I promise to do my best."

With Iida leading, everything was smooth sailing. Positions were still needed to fill for the class, such as a secretary and a treasurer among a few others. By the end of it all, Kinus was taken by surprise as he landed the position of secretary of all things.

"How come I'm the secretary?!" Kinus cried out. "Why not Midoriya? He loves writing stuff down!"

"You're the one with the most well written notes outside of Yaoyorozu. Midoriya would have been a good pick, but he needs to learn the meaning of brevity first before that," Tokoyami answered. Midoriya cringed slightly, feeling self conscious of himself.

The dragon huffed, not looking forward to the extra work he was going to have to face.

Class eventually continued forward and it wasn't long until everyone's favorite subject rolled around.

"For today's hero basic training," Aizawa began, "it will be a little different. You'll have me, All Might and another faculty member keeping an eye on you."

Sero then asked the question on everyone's minds, "Sir, what kind of training is this?"

"Rescue training, shipwrecks, natural disasters, that sort of thing. You can decide if you want to wear your costume or not this time. Just keep in mind that you haven't gotten really used to them yet so they might limit your abilities. This special training will be off campus so we're taking a bus to get there. That's all, start getting ready," Aizawa finished and then walked off.

Everyone was lit abuzz by the prospect of training. Rescue training was as important as learning how to fight villains. What was the point in being able to fight villains if you didn't know how to save others? Kinus himself was personally pumped. Another opportunity to learn what it meant to be a hero.

The dragon smiled to himself. It was going to bring him one step closer to being just like his father.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **We are now fast approaching the Unforeseen Simulation Joint Arc! I am super excited for it. I hope you guys like what I have in store for USJ. It's going to be action packed! If you guys like the fight scenes back in the previous chapter, then you'll definitely like the USJ chapter. :D**

 **That said, ALL FOR ONE in the anime! MY GOODNESS. He's so freaking menacing! If you guys haven't caught up in Season 3, WATCH IT ALREADY. ASAP!**


	8. Chapter 8 Unforeseen Simulation Joint

**Age of Heroes**

 **By Viperwatcher**

 **Chapter 8**

 **Unforeseen Simulation Joint**

The sun was up high in the sky as the students of Class 1A gathered in the courtyard. Even though they were told that they were allowed to choose whether or not they wanted to wear their hero costumes, it came as no surprise to anyone that everyone in the class decided to still wear them. Although it was just a basic run of the mill training exercise, the aspiring heroes weren't going to pass up a chance like this. It was another chance for them to train while wearing it, another opportunity to get used to it while out in the field. For a person like Kinus, it was a chance for him to test out the upgrade he had been asking for.

"You seem different," Ojiro commented as he walked up to the blue dragon. "Did you add something new to your costume?" It was a head gear of sorts that was big enough to cover the dragon's large maw. A small tube ran down the side before connecting seamlessly into Kinus's suit.

"I did," Kinus answered. "I needed a way to keep drinking water without having to use my hands for it, so I asked the support company and bam, I got this."

"That's neat," Ojiro replied. He then added, "I find it amusing that compared to you guys, my hero costume is as simplistic as it can get."

"I was going to ask you about," Kinus remarked. "What are you hiding under that karategi of yours?"

"Oh you know, a few things to help me fight. It may not be flashy, but it gets the job done." He punched the air to punctuate his statement. "Because sometimes all you need are your fists after all."

"I'm still open to giving you some brass knuckles if you happen to be interested," Kinus remarked.

Ojiro smiled. "I'll keep that in mind."

The dragon took a look around and saw his other classmates wearing their costumes. One person stuck out to him however and that was Midoriya. He decided to walk over to him and voice his question. But Uraraka beat him to it.

"Deku, why are you wearing your P.E. clothes? Where's your costume?" she asked.

"They got ripped up during the combat training. I'm still waiting on the support company to get them fixed," he answered flatly.

Kinus's mind reminded him of the combat training. That was the first time he ever saw Midoriya fight and it left him floored. It was one thing to see Midoriya in a casual setting. He came across as a clutz, a bit awkward but endearing at least, and someone you wouldn't expect to be so resilient given his appearance. But when he was out there fighting, he was a completely different person entirely. The dragon smiled. Appearances were truly deceiving.

"Well hey," he added, getting the attention of the two, "at least you don't have to worry about getting your clothes trashed this time, right? It's obvious that our training session this time won't be as dangerous."

"Yeah, that's true," Midoriya added. "It won't be as exciting, but it will still be as important." The boy then cocked his head towards the side. "Am I misremembering something, or is the head gear a new addition for you, Hazani?"

"It is. It's here to help me drink water when I need it," Kinus answered.

"What for?" Midoriya asked, puzzled by the odd feature.

"It's for his Quirk, silly!" Uraraka answered for him. "Oh that's right, you were out when Kinus had to do the combat training." Her eyes then lit up. "You should have seen him, Deku!"

Midoriya glanced at Uraraka then back to Kinus who was sheepishly scratching his face, averting his gaze. It was clear that the dragon wasn't used to getting complimented so much about his fighting ability. "Please, I'm not THAT good, Uraraka." Kinus's eyes then flickered to the side as he happen to see the familiar figure of Todoroki sit down on one of the benches. "Todoroki could have easily toasted me if he wanted with his fire Quirk."

"Fire Quirk?" Midoriya asked. "Todoroki has a fire Quirk? I thought he had an ice based Quirk?"

Just then, the loud sound of a whistle caught everyone by surprise.

"Gather around, Class 1A!"

Kinus turned around and was not surprised to find that it came from Iida. He was the type of guy to have such things.

"Please fall in line, so we can board the bus efficiently!"

Under Iida's directive, it didn't take long for Class 1A to board and the bus took off in earnest. Iida however was a bit disappointed when it turned out his boarding strategy couldn't have been applied due to the open layout the bus had. The boy was left grumbling to himself to which the rest of the other students comforted him and asked him to lighten up.

Kinus took the seat near the window and admired the scenery. It seemed like it was only yesterday when he was on a bus just like this and he was about to undertake the Entrance Exam. He was nervous, worried, and quite frankly scared of what was ahead of him and yet here he was now. He was now part of Class 1A, part of a group of students picked from a thousand, chosen to be the next generation of heroes. No matter how many times he thought about it, it still amazed him to be given this opportunity; the opportunity to live out his dream of getting the chance to be a hero.

The resulting conversation inside the bus brought him back down to reality.

"If were pointing out the obvious, then there's something I'd like to say," Asui began. She turned to Midoriya who was seated next to her and said, "Your Quirk, isn't it a lot like All Might's?"

The sheer mention of the hero's name under the context of Quirks made Midoriya flustered. "Y-you think so?" The boy looked away, tapping his fingers on his legs. "I never really thought about it like that."

"But that doesn't make sense, Tsu," Kirishima chimed in. "You're forgetting that All Might doesn't hurt himself when he uses his Quirk. That makes a huge difference."

Midoriya looked visibly relieved. Kinus cocked his head to the side. Now that he thought about it, it was kind of similar to All Might. But maybe that was just a coincidence. That couldn't have been possible, right?

"Still, it's nice to have a simple augmenting type of Quirk. You can do a lot of flashy stuff with it." The boy stretched out his hand and hardened it, the rocky jagged edges becoming more prominent. "My hardening's super strong but it doesn't look as impressive."

"Oh, no way, you're definitely pro material with a Quirk like that," Midoriya added.

"You really think so? It seems it'll be much easier to be a popular hero if I had something flashier," Kirishima replied. "But hey, if you're talking about flashy and strong, it's definitely Todoroki and Bakugo. They sure can pack a hell of a punch."

"Sure, but Bakugo always seems like he's angry so it doesn't like he'll be as popular though," Asui commented.

Naturally, Bakugo replied in the best way he could. "What did you say?! I'll kick your ass!" It only served to prove Asui's statement even further.

Kaminari then added, "you know we basically just met you, but it's kind of telling that we all agree your personality is mostly hot garbage."

"You're going to regret the day you applied to this school, you loser!" Bakugo replied heatedly.

Kinus just sighed, trying to drown out the argument that soon unfolded inside the bus. Once Bakugo got started, it was a challenge to get him to calm down.

Tokoyami, who was seated next to Kinus, snorted in annoyance. "So noisy…"

The dragon just patted his friend on the back. "At least it beats boredom, right?"

The bird just rolled his eyes, clearly disinterested at the two students who kept on bickering with one another. "I suppose," he commented. "I just want to rest up."

"What for?" Kinus asked.

"You know how Mr. Aizawa gets," Tokoyami commented. "It's never easy with someone like him."

The dragon thought for a moment, then remembered the first meeting with the teacher. He felt a shiver come down his spine. "Oh my goodness…" That Quirk Assessment Test was brutal.

"It probably won't be that bad," came a voice from behind them. It was from Yaoyorozu. "Remember that we still have two other teachers with us for this session. So I'm guessing we'll probably get split up between the teachers or something like that."

Kinus released a breath he wasn't sure he was holding. "Okay, that at least gives me hope." The last thing the dragon wanted was something like the Assessment Test.

"Quiet down, people. We're here. Time to get serious," Aizawa spoke out loud, his voice towering above the bickering.

Everyone immediately stopped and remained quiet, not wanting to anger their teacher.

"Hello everyone! I've been waiting for you!"

The teacher that stood before them was someone Kinus could best describe was an astronaut, or someone that at least had their costume inspired to be something to be used for space. It was a white suit that looked like a puffy jacket. He had a black helmet with white eyes and the only splash of color on the otherwise muted color palette was Thirteen's bright yellow boots. The pro hero had his arms wide open for them.

"Let's go inside, shall we?"

"A shipwreck, a landslide, a fire, a windstorm and everything else in between. I created this facility to prepare students for different kinds of accidents and disasters. I call it, the Unforeseen Simulation Joint."

USJ was big. It was really big. Kinus looked up to the ceiling and saw the glass dome tower above them. Just like what the pro hero said, it contained almost any disaster a person could realistically conceive of. There were different buildings built inside USJ that housed the different zones that were used to reenact the disaster situations. Going from one zone to another would have been a workout all on its own. The whole layout of it reminded the dragon of a theme park. Then again, the acronym hammered it home for him: Universal Studios Japan.

Aizawa walked over to his fellow teacher and then asked, "Thirteen, where's All Might?"

The two teachers corresponded with each other outside of the student's earshot. Whatever it was, Aizawa's expression remained unfazed. Or was it just his poker face? Kinus realized that trying to discern what the man was thinking was an immaculate challenge.

"He'll just be late, is all," Thirteen voiced out in the end.

"We should get started then," Aizawa remarked, walking over to the side.

"Excellent, but before we begin I'd like to say something first." Thirteen stood in front of them and cleared his throat. "Listen carefully, I am sure you are aware of my Quirk, Black Hole. I can suck up anything and turn it to dust."

"It's a Quirk you've used to help in all kinds of disaster's, right?" Midoriya asked.

"That's true. But my Quirk can just also easily be used to kill. I know that some of you have a Quirk that are just as dangerous as mine. In our superhuman society, Quirks have been heavily regulated so they can be used as safely as possible and prevent harm to others. Which is why I tell you to always focus on what you are doing, as there are many Quirks that can easily kill with one wrong step, even if you are trying to do something virtuous like rescuing someone. With Aizawa's assessment test, you've now have a solid idea to the potential of your Quirk. Because of All Might's combat training, you've seen first hand the danger of using your Quirk against others. Use the lessons you've learned thus far into this class. Today, you're going to learn how to use your Quirks to save people's lives. You won't be using your powers to attack others or harm villains, only to help. After all, that is what a hero is all about. Ensuring the safety of others." Thirteen then bowed. "That's all I have to say, thank you."

Kinus couldn't help but smile and nod along. Thirteen was right. That was the essence of what being a hero was all about. It wasn't just about fighting villains and taking down nefarious enemies. What matters most is saving lives. What was the point in being a hero if you can't save others?

Aizawa cleared his throat. "Alright. First things first we're going to…"

But whatever Aizawa was going to say was cut off as the sound of buzzing emanated from inside the dome. Kinus looked up and saw the lights at the top of the dome flicker before turning off completely. It had a ripple effect, the lights turning off one after the other. At the far distance, the dragon noted that the fountain's water pressure seemingly fluctuated. Then the air around it appeared to distort right before his very eyes. Then a small black dot materialized in front of it. It grew larger, distorting the space around it, releasing a purple dark mist that coated the area ominously.

Aizawa shifted accordingly, turning around to face the sudden intrusion. "Stay together and don't move!" he shouted, conviction behind his words. Kinus was taken by surprise at the teacher's sudden change in demeanor. This was probably the first time he saw Aizawa looked so serious. "Thirteen! Protect the students!"

"What's that?" Kirishima asked, noticing the large group of people that began to gather around the fountain. They were all appearing out of the dark mist that now coated the plaza. "Is this part of the training or…?"

"STAY BACK!" Aizawa shouted commandingly, making everyone freeze in place. He grabbed hold of his yellow goggles and put them on his face. "This is real. Those are villains."

Kinus saw himself as a strong and steadfast individual, someone brave that wouldn't back down from a challenge. One of the things that separated a person from a hero was the ability to stand in front of danger and not cower. But this… The dragon gulped, and found his legs trembling beneath him. It looked like whatever resolve the dragon had carefully constructed throughout his entire life seemingly disintegrated in the blink of an eye. The villains were menacing, especially the ones farther back. Three of them stood out amongst the rest, and if Kinus had to guess, were probably the leaders of this sorry bunch. One was a grotesque bird-like mutant with its brain exposed, another looked like he was the source of the dark purple mist, and lastly, a light blue haired man who was adorned with hands all over his body.

"It looks like they used the press as a distraction to sneak into the building," Aizawa deduced, standing stiff but ready. Even Thirteen shifted his body into a more solid stance. He was just as ready as Aizawa to fight against the evildoers.

"Real villains?" Kirishima asked. "No way. That's impossible."

Yaoyorozu walked up to the front. "Thirteen, why aren't the alarms going off?"

The pro hero's answer didn't inspire confidence in the quite grim predicament they were all in. "That's a good question. I'm not sure…"

"Are they invading the entire campus? Or are they just here with us?" Todoroki spoke, sounding surprisingly calm given the nature of the situation. "Either way, one of them must have a Quirk that is masking their presence here if the alarm sensors aren't responding. They carefully chose this isolated facility separated from the main campus at a time when a class is being taught. They're fools for trespassing, but it's clear that they have a plan set in motion. I wonder what their goal could be."

Kinus gulped, taking some deep breaths to try and stay calm. Now was not the time to panic even though every inch of his being told him otherwise. This was a real emergency, and this was the moment he needed to focus and stay on track. His fists instinctively clenched in his efforts to control his trembling.

"Thirteen! Start the evacuation! Alert the main campus. These villains even have something to counteract the sensors, so they must be jamming our regular communications too." He turned back around to face all of them. "Kaminari! Try using your Quirk to contact the school."

"What are you going to do?" Midoriya asked. "You can't fight them on your own! Your Quirk is not suited for frontal assault like this."

"You can't be a Hero with just one trick," Aizawa calmly replied. "I'm leaving it to you Thirteen." With that out of the way, the pro hero Eraser Head jumped into the fray, launching himself towards the villains. Gone was the lax teacher Kinus knew Aizawa for, but instead was replaced by the pro hero who wanted to keep his students safe from harm.

"We have to go, now!" Thirteen shouted, bringing back everyone down to reality. "Everyone, to the exit! Go!"

Kinus didn't need to be told twice.

The group of students quickly moved in unison, everyone rushing towards the front door. Thirteen led the way, briefly turning his head to see if everyone was still there. The sounds of fighting, and a few scattered explosions could be heard from the distance. Kinus could only hope that Aizawa was going to be okay.

"I won't let you escape."

Everyone stopped to a halt as the same mist formed in front of them, a person appearing from the dark black void materializing from the ominous clouds. Yellow slanted eyes seemingly floated amidst the wispy figure.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. We are the League of Villains," he announced. "I hope you don't mind, but we thought it would be best to invite ourselves into this haven of justice to say hello." Kinus swore the man was smiling from behind the swirling cloud. "Besides, isn't this a fitting place for All Might, the symbol of peace, to take his last breath?" Everyone visibly stiffed at the statement. Kinus gulped. That was what the villains plans were? To take out All Might? "I believe All Might should have been here," the malicious figure continued. "But I take it there was a change of plan somewhere down the line. Either way, it doesn't matter. I still have a role to play in all of this."

Punctuating his statement, the dark mists began to spread beside him, clearly signalling to everyone that he was going to attack. Kinus found himself frozen, unable to move. He knew he should do something, anything, to try and get past this guy, but it was like his brain turned to mush. But then a blur whizzed by him. He turned his head to see Kirishima and Bakugo throw themselves at the confident villain. A loud explosion followed by dust covering the area soon followed. The two's sudden attack clearly hit its mark.

"Did you think we were going to just let you do whatever you want?" Kirishima taunted.

But whatever flicker of hope the two boy's aimed to ignite was quickly snuffed out as the villain was still standing when the dust cleared. "You live up to your school's reputation. But you should be more careful, children." The villain's eyes narrowed. "Otherwise someone might get hurt."

"You two! Get out of the way right now!" Thirteen shouted, aiming his fingers at the villain.

"My job is to scatter you all!" The dark swirls of air raced towards the group, and engulfed them entirely. "And have my comrades torture you to death!"

Everyone around him began to panic. Darkness swirled around Kinus, and a strong gust of wind threatened to launch him off his feet. Whether it was the adrenaline finally kicking his ass into gear, or something else, the dragon instinctively materialized his halberd into his hands and forcefully impaled it into the ground. But his makeshift support proved futile as the gale force winds proved too strong. His legs got lifted up, and all he could do in response was to grab hold of his halberd tightly. The sounds of his classmates screaming filled his ears and he was about to look up to see if everyone was still there when a large body collided with him. His halberd's hold on the floor gave way and the dragon's body was flung backwards into the air. It was like time and space seemingly disappeared for a brief moment while he was airborne. Up became down and down became up, gravity ceased to exist and Kinus felt weightless.

Then, just as quickly as it happened, the darkness cleared. Kinus's eyes focused and he screamed. Below him was a city ravaged by a blazing inferno. Gone was the ground he stood on earlier, and he was now instead falling from the sky. The wind rushed up at him as he plummeted straight down. Kinus looked around frantically, realizing that he was falling close enough to a building caught ablaze a few floors below them. He then saw a twinkle at the corner of his eyes. Reaching out with his hand, he called forth his halberd and it immediately flew towards him. Gripping it tightly, he jabbed it at the wall of the building with all his might. The dragon cried out, his hands vibrating violently as he clung onto his halberd for dear life. The frozen weapon threatened to break under his grip. The halberd dug deep, destroying the wall in the process but thankfully slowing his fall. Eventually, the dragon slowed down to a stop, hanging a few stories above the solid pavement.

He wasn't able to rest however as the sound of someone screaming above him filled his ears. His eyes widened upon recognizing it as one of his classmates.

"OJIRO! GRAB MY TAIL!"

They only had one shot at this, and if the boy missed he would have been dead on the pavement. Kinus swung himself back and forth, making sure to time this right. Ojiro was fast approaching and with one more swing, Kinus extended out his tail as far as he could. Precious seconds ticked by as Kinus hoped that his friend managed grab onto him.

"GOT IT!"

Immediately Kinus felt the weight of the boy along with his fast momentum and he felt the sharp sting of pain coming from his lower half. But he pushed through. The dragon used Ojiro's forward momentum to swing him upward, aiming to launch both of them into one of the open windows of the buildings that were on fire. With a mighty grunt, he was airborne again, bringing Ojiro with him. Kinus braced himself as his body crashed into the windows, glass scattering everywhere.

The dragon skid across the floor, before coming to a halt against the solid wall. The other boy was laying a few paces from him, coughing and still very much alive after that entire ordeal. The dragon groaned, feeling the sharp sting of pain from his lower back side. "That's going to hurt tomorrow morning…" He walked over to Ojiro and helped him up.

"Thank you...for saving...my life, Hazani," Ojiro remarked in between breaths. "I would have...yeah…" Ojiro's eyes were wild, clearly still in shock.

"You're welcome," Kinus said, coughing slightly. He walked over to the open window and recalled his halberd that was still stuck against the wall. Catching it, he held it tightly in his hands.

"Where are we?" Ojiro asked, walking up to him.

Kinus looked around, just as curious as Ojiro. Everywhere they looked fire was burning brightly. It was amazing what U. achieve with their facilities. If they didn't know any better, they would have believed they were transported at a city somewhere in Japan that happened to be on fire. But Kinus quickly realized that this had to be the Fire Zone Thirteen mentioned earlier when he was enumerating the different zones they had inside USJ.

"We're in the Fire Zone," Kinus answered, turning to face Ojiro. "We need to regroup with the others."

The boy nodded, regaining his composure. "Got it. We need to get a move on. There might still be villains lurking around."

The prospect of fighting proper villains left Kinus feeling a bit shaken. This did not go unnoticed by Ojiro. "You okay?" the boy asked.

Kinus blinked, doing his best to steady himself. "I'm okay. Just...still trying to let this all sink in." The dragon tried to smile but ended up grimacing instead. "It's just...villains, Ojiro. We're really up against villains." The dragon's voice shook slightly. "People that are actually trying to kill us."

The boy nodded, placing a hand on Kinus's shoulder. "Well, don't worry. I'm just as scared as you are," Ojiro said, with a comforting smile. "If anything, I'm surprised that you are."

The dragon was puzzled. "What on earth makes you think that?"

"You always seem like you know what you're doing and come across as someone who has a plan for any situation." The boy smiled sheepishly. "I kind of envy you for that."

Kinus stared at Ojiro, not sure how to take the statement. Was that how his classmates viewed him? "Thanks...I think?" At the very least, Ojiro's words were helping to temper his anxiety. If only just a bit. "Either way, we shouldn't stick around here. Picking fights with villains is the last thing we should be doing right now."

"Agreed."

The two made their way through the building, going down to the lower floors. Living up to its name, the Fire Zone had fire everywhere, meant to recreate a blazing inferno where heroes were to rescue people from inside the buildings and take them outside for safety. Smoke, scattered debris and high temperatures surrounded the two as they tried to find the exit. Kinus opted to melt the halberd and store the liquid back into his pack. There was no point in having it out with the intense heat surrounding them. Eventually however, the two boys made it to the ground floor and onto the city streets. It was dead quiet, outside of the ambient noise of the crackling blaze from the smoking building and the sounds of sirens wailing in the distance. USJ's dedication to realism was outstanding.

The dragon walked into the middle of the street and scanned his surroundings. "We need to find the exit," Kinus said, trying to find any sign of such a thing.

"But you only just got here."

The dragon turned his head and felt his blood run cold. His eyes widened upon seeing the malicious group of people. Ojiro raised his fists, visibly stiffening up in response to the threat they faced.

"Why not stay for a little while?" the thug continued, cracking a smile at the both of them. The villains began to slowly approach them, a few of them chuckling amongst themselves. Kinus saw that they were armed, ranging from simplistic weapons such as knives and swords, to the more improvised ones like baseball bats with nails. Others had their mutations as weapons, one of the criminals having a axe for an arm instead.

"You sure these are heroes? They look too young." one of them voiced out. He turned his head to face them, an arrogant grin on his face. "Either way, I'll be looking forward to beating you to a pulp, kid." He gently swung his bat, emphasizing his point. "It's been way too long, and I could use the exercise."

"Stay back!" Kinus shouted, glancing at the enemies closing in on them. His mind was running a mile a minute. The tension in the air was making it hard to breathe. "I don't want to hurt you!"

A few of the thugs visibly stopped and laughed at Kinus's declaration. It was like the dragon just said the funniest joke they ever heard. "What's so funny?"

"Kid, word of advice," said one of the thugs, "if you're in the business of being a hero and you don't want to hurt people, then you're clearly mixing up your priorities." He held his knife tightly in his hands. "Because I for one…" The thug looked him dead in in the eye, "have no problems hurting you!"

Like a silent signal being told, the criminals charged at them recklessly.

It was an all out brawl.

Ojiro was quick on the beat, rushing to meet one of the thugs before diving on the floor to trip them up with his feet. The boy got up afterwards, smacking them with his tail ferociously. One thug dared to swipe at him, the baseball missing his head by mere inches as the boy ducked just in time. A quick sweep to the legs followed by a strong uppercut sent the body flying upwards and away from them.

Kinus held his ground, taking on a more defensive stance compared to Ojiro who was on the offensive. The thug that was chatting with him earlier rushed him down, swiping at him erratically with his knife. The dragon ducked, dodged and weaved, contorting his body and forever thankful to his quick reflexes. "Slimy bastard!" the knife wielder cried out, missing Kinus's torso by a hair. Seeing the opening, Kinus smacked the thug's hand, making him release his grip on the knife. It cluttered onto the ground before being kicked away by the resulting struggle. The dragon managed to successfully latch onto the thug, crossing his legs in between the guy's neck and using his weight and momentum to swing him towards the ground. The thug landed with a painful thud, and Kinus scrambled to stand. He then found himself back to back with Ojiro who had taken out a number of opponents as well.

"You know hand to hand?" Ojiro asked, looking at the thugs warily as they circled both of them like predators to prey.

"Yeah. I had to learn how to fight in case I had no water with me," Kinus answered, his eyes darting from one opponent to the next. The crowd was becoming more manageable now, but that didn't mean it was going to get any easier.

"GET THEM!" the thug shouted.

This time, the man with the axe for an arm joined the fray and was charging straight at Kinus, along with a few other thugs as backup. The dragon blocked the punches and kicks that were thrown at him on both sides. A whistling sound clued him in just in the nick of time to duck as a sharp axe whizzed by his head. He rolled backwards, giving him and the criminal some breathing room.

"Back off, boys," the thug with the axe said, "this blue dragon is mine."

Kinus found himself smiling. "Thank you. You actually know what I am for a change."

His opponent smirked, before proceeding to charge at Kinus. The dragon materialized his halberd in his hand and blocked the vicious swipe the thug sent for him. The two were locked in place, trying to outdo each other in terms of strength. "Not bad, kid," the thug said to him. The blade of the axe scratched against Kinus's frozen weapon. "You're not half bad."

Kinus was too focused on trying not to die at the current moment to even think of a good retort. He instead just grunted, breaking free from the power struggle. The man reeled back, and went on the defensive as the dragon attacked with timed swings and swipes of his halberd. The two were locked in a clash, the sound of the metal axe grinding against the frozen halberd ringing across the streets.

Ojiro on the other hand was busy fighting his own battles. It was a fight of one against five. It was hardly fair. One thug charged at him, swiping his knife at the boy who ducked underneath it and punched him back square in the chest to counter. Two lunged at him at which the boy perfectly swatted them away with his tail, followed by a well timed kick to the head. But even he had his own limit. One got too close and viciously slashed at him with his mutated sharp claws. Left, right, and a roll to the side, Ojiro scrambled to stand and felt a stinging sensation coming from his right cheek. The smell of blood briefly wafted into his nose. The thug roared at him like a wild animal, charging at him head on. He stepped back, putting on a defensive stance and began to dodge the erratic swipes once more. He managed to counter after finding an opening but cried out as someone managed to grab him from behind and restrained him.

"I HAVE HIM!" the thug shouted, holding Ojiro tightly in place. The thug with the claws stood up, a deadly glint in his eyes.

"HAZANI!" Ojiro shouted loudly. "I could use some help!" he struggled against the man, trying to break the guy's hold of him.

Hearing his name get called, Kinus's eyes darted towards the side and saw Ojiro in a bind.

"Where are you looking, kid?! I'm your opponent!" The thug with the axe slashed at him, and Kinus jumped back in response.

"Ojiro!" The dragon cried out, running towards his companion. The thug with the axe gave chase, running after him as well. "Let go of him!" Kinus jumped and attacked with a drop kick, hitting the criminal squarely on the back. His hold on Ojiro loosened well enough for the boy to grab hold of the assailant. With a strong grip and an equally strong effort, Ojiro threw the man, sending him crashing into the thug with the claws. Kinus on the other hand scrambled across the floor, the axe barely whiffing across his frame as the other thug tried to take advantage of the situation.

Ojiro charged at the man, easily becoming more overwhelmed as the fight became two on one. The thug was forced to block kicks, punches followed by swipes and slashes Kinus went for with his halberd. Mixing things up, the dragon spun around and slid his tail across the floor, aiming to get the man's legs. It collided, knocking him off kilter. Ojiro went for the finisher, jumping up and hitting the man as hard as he could with his tail, sending the body flying through the air before sliding across the floor. The man laid there unmoving, completely out cold.

Kinus released the breath he wasn't aware he was holding. He glanced at Ojiro who was also catching his breath, and was wiping the blood that was dripping from the slice on his cheek. "Are you okay?" the dragon asked.

"I'm fine, you?"

Kinus tried to find the words but ended up shrugging. The shock of fighting people that actually wanted him to be dead was still passing through him much as the fact that he was still alive after that brawl. The sound of a commotion from the distance clued the boys in that this was far from over. Already, another group of thugs was coming their way.

"We need to go," Ojiro said and broke into a sprint. Kinus followed right behind him, eager to get away from the violent people. The two ran down the smoke filled city streets, passing by numerous buildings that were on fire. They weren't headed in any direction in particular. All they wanted was to get away from the motley group of people out to get them.

Kinus stopped for a brief moment and noted an alleyway partially obscured by the smoke. "Ojiro! Over there!"

The two boys quickly changed direction, running as fast as they could towards the small alleyway. They quickly hid behind the pillar of the building and held their breath as the thugs passed right by them.

"Where are they?!" one of the them cried out.

"I think I see them! Over there! Come on!"

The voices soon got drowned out as the group eventually went out of their immediate vicinity. Kinus and Ojiro quickly made themselves scarce, heading as far away from the mob of enemies as much as possible. "I think we lost them," Ojiro said, stopping to a brisk walk and looked behind them. The thugs were nowhere in sight. They were safe, for now.

"Thank goodness," Kinus replied back, feeling exhausted. The adrenaline was beginning to take its toll on his body. He needed to get a breather. "How far away are we from the exit?"

Ojiro looked around. Out at the far distance near the wall, he managed to see a green LED sign above what looked like a large green door. That had to be it. "I think I see it!" he answered, pointing his fingers. "Over there!"

"Come on then!" Kinus cried out. The two broke into a sprint once more, running towards the direction of the exit. Smoke, flaming debris and empty cars blocked the city streets but the two pushed on, navigating safely. The prospect of the nightmare being over was what pushed them forward. They'll be free from the criminals hunting them and finally be able to regroup with everyone.

The two were only a few meters away from the green door when a blur whizzed by them.

"Hazani, what was-"

Ojiro wasn't even able to finish his sentence. It was like the air itself exploded around them. One moment, Kinus was turning his head in response to Ojiro's question, and then, the next thing he knew he was flying through the air, his ears deafened by the blast that came from their left side. The dragon was flung sideways, before slamming violently against a pillar of the nearby building, the wind knocked out of his lungs.

Kinus wheezed and coughed, blinking in an effort to get his vision to focus. "What was….what the hell…" he managed to blurt out, his voice croaking. His entire frame was in pain. It was like being hit by a speeding truck down the highway. The dragon looked around, trying to find what on earth hit them. His eyes beginning to focus, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, outside of billows of smoke from where they were running earlier. That was when Kinus saw a soot stained white fabric amongst the debris.

"Ojiro?" Kinus voiced out. The boy was lying on the floor, motionless. The dread began to sink into Kinus's body. "Ojiro? Are you…" The dragon tried to stand, the joints in his body protesting against him to stay still. But he pushed through, biting his lip. Now was not the time to be lying down. "Ojiro?!" he cried out, his voice sounding more distressed. He began to limp towards his downed friend. "Please no…" Kinus muttered under his breath. "Ojiro! Answer me!"

"You know…"

Kinus froze in place.

The dragon turned his head, seeing for the first time who he was up against. The man wore a tactical black jumpsuit that was sleek yet functional. His face was obscured by a hood, but the one thing that struck Kinus the most was the wings. The man he was up against was a dragon. There was no denying that. Wings sprouted from the dragon's back, folded neatly but clearly visible. Kinus could best surmise the person to be a professional hitman. The man spun the metallic rod he was carrying and planted it onto the floor.

"I'm amazed you're still alive, Kinus."

Kinus blinked, turning fully to face his opponent. "Who are you?" he asked, trying to maintain his composure.

"I suppose it's only fair you know who I am. It's rare for people to survive my initial attack anyways." The man removed his hood, revealing a red dragon underneath. His red scales were illuminated by the flaming building behind him, giving him a deadly appearance. There was an assertive smirk across his face. "Some people call me the Red Devil, others the Messenger of Death because of the blood that I spill afterwards." He shrugged. "But really, I go by Blur." He swung his metal rod and pointed it at Kinus. "Because I'll be the last thing you'll ever see."

The dragon gulped. This guy was different. The group of villains they fought earlier were at best forgettable. They were just a bunch of random crooks who, in the grand scheme of things, were cannon fodder. He felt a shiver go down his spine. This guy...he was a step above them. Kinus's eyes darted to Ojiro who was still lying lifeless on the floor. The dragon hoped that Ojiro was still alive. Hell, that they both make it out of this alive. For now, he needed to think. He needed to stall.

"How do you know my name?" he voiced out, remembering what Blur mentioned a few seconds ago.

"Oh I know alot about you, Kinus Hazani," Blur answered. "I know where you live, what your favorite food is, where your classroom is, who you hangout after school with. I know that you're friends with that Tokoyami kid, that your mother is a police officer, and I know that your doing your best to live up to your father's name. How admirable."

Kinus remained rooted in the spot. Who on earth was this guy?

"You see, I'm the type of guy who prefers to do their research on their target." He tapped his metal rod as he continued, saying, "To make sure everything is accounted for, so when I strike, I know exactly what you're going to do and what move your going to try. I could have killed you anytime I wanted. But the request, well...I was specifically told to make your death be more drawn out than it needed to be."

Kinus was puzzled. "My death? I thought you guys were here for All Might?"

"You're talking about the League of Villains, Kinus," Blur replied, sounding half bored by their conversation. "I'm here," his eyes narrowed, "for you."

"Why me?"

"Because someone wants you dead," Blur answered flatly. "I just joined the League because I needed a way to get close to you and kill you without anyone batting an eye. Of course, after all of this is said and done, your death will be blamed on the League."

This was already spiralling out of control. Kinus needed more information. Blur wasn't with the League of Villains? What was going on? "Who? Who sent you?!" he asked.

"Sorry Kinus, that's confidential information. But I guess since you're about to die, I can give you a hint." He smiled sardonically. "He's rich enough to pay me, and has enough of a grudge to want a teenage kid like you dead."

Just then, the entire floor shook as a shockwave seemingly passed through the entirety of USJ. Kinus eyes darted towards the green door, sensing the shockwaves coming from the other side. What in the world was going on out there?

"Looks like the party is getting started outside," Blur replied. He began to stretch, rolling his head back and forth briefly. "I should get this over with." He took hold of his metal rod and spun it into position. Kinus eyes widened as two sharp looking hooks appeared on both ends, effectively making the rod a double sided scythe. "Sorry, Kinus," Blur said, his eyes glowing a deathly red, "it's not personal."

Kinus blinked. One moment, Blue was right in front of him, and then after that, Blur was gone.

The dragon began to panic.

Where? Where was he?! What kind of Quirk was he dealing with here? Was it an invisibility Quirk? A speed boosting Quirk? Or something else entirely. Either way, Blur was moving too fast for his eyes to follow. The dragon had to rely on his other senses. Kinus hunkered down, straining his ears to get a sense of where the villain was. The sound of his own anxious breathing along with the fast beating of his own heart was deafening.

Focus, Kinus! Focus! Now's not the time to be panicking!

Amidst the sounds of the flames in the entire area, he heard it. It was a unique sound that didn't belong in the environment. It was faint, but it was the sound of a faint hum, and it was getting closer and closer and…

Kinus ducked, leaning backwards.

He opened his eyes, seeing for a split second just how close he was at being cut in half by the scythe. Blur's weapon impaled itself into the pillar, and the villain was left standing there, looking amused. Kinus scrambled onto his feet, quickly materializing his halberd. Blur was too fast for him to fight. He needed to rush him now while he still had the chance.

"Not bad, Kinus!" Blur replied sounding utterly casual despite the circumstances. He removed his scythe in time to block the dragon's apparent effort to swipe at him with his halberd. "Not bad!" he replied, looking more amused. "It's not often I get to play like this. Maybe he was right in drawing your death out!"

Blur was strong. He was grinning at him, no sign of effort visible on his face. Meanwhile Kinus was giving it his all, hands clasped tightly on his halberd as they were locked in a bout of strength. The sheer vast difference in strength was dawning on the dragon but he didn't let it deter him. Now was not the time to be doubting his own skill.

With a simple flick of his wrist, Kinus was flung backwards, reeling from the pushback. Blur charged at him, swinging his scythe around. The dragon was left to block and parry the attacks. Left, right, high, low, Blur was mixing things up one after the other and Kinus's was barely keeping up. With one quick slash, the red dragon broke through his defenses and planted a strong kick on the hero's chest. Kinus's body tumbled across the floor, rolling inwards to the flaming building. Clearly direct attacks was not going to work against Blur. He needed to come up with a new strategy.

He hid behind a pillar, doing his best to control his breathing. His brain managed to get a hold of the current situation and he found himself asking, where did it all go wrong? Today was just supposed to be a normal day. They were going to learn how to rescue people, plain and simple. But then things turned towards the unexpected. Villains came about, claiming they were here to kill All Might, the very symbol of peace himself. He and the rest of his classmates were then scattered and were now fighting for their lives. As if to make things any more worse than that, his classmate was down for the count, and Kinus was left alone to fight against a professional hitman that was paid off to kill him by someone he never even knew.

He couldn't even write something this elaborate even if he tried.

"I know you're in here, Kinus," Blur taunted, walking into the building. His eyes flicked left and right, scanning the area for any source of the dragon. The open fires that littered the area proved to be a good source of light and gave the place an overall eerie atmosphere. "If you come out, I promise I'll end it quickly, just like your classmate back there."

Kinus gulped, his grip on his halberd tightening. No! He refused to believe that. The dragon wasn't even going to let his mind linger on the thought. He wasn't going to let anyone die on his watch. Briefly glancing at the side, he saw Blur had his back turned to him and sprang into action.

With one mighty throw, he sent his halberd flying directly at Blur.

But with quick reflexes, the villain spun around, swatting the halberd out of the air. The weapon flew across the air before impaling itself onto the ceiling. "You're going to have to do better than that!" Blur shouted.

Kinus sprang forward, materializing two frozen swords in his hands and proceeding to dual wield with it. He jumped slashing away at Blur who was blocking with ease. The clash of the frozen sword against the metal rod rang across the room as the two were locked in a deadly dance. Kinus pushed himself forward, using every trick in the book he learned to try and get an advantage of the clearly more experienced Blur. The dragon spun on his legs, aiming to sweep Blur off his feet. The red dragon countered respectively, blocking with the back of his scythe. He kicked Kinus backwards, before spinning his scythe and going on the offensive.

Kinus dodged and weaved as best as he could, pushing his reflexes to the maximum. Sword clashed against metal scythe, in an almost fatal rhythm as the two went back and forth against each other. A near hit here, a perfect block there; with each attack, the other evaded and countered with another technique and vice versa. Kinus found himself pressed against the wall, deadlocked against Blur who looked like he was clearly enjoying himself.

"Your stubborn, Kinus, I'll give you that!" Blur remarked, smiling maliciously. "But enough fooling around, let's see how good you really are!" The dragon's eyes began to glow red, and Kinus gulped.

Immediately he sense the change in power. Kinus broke free from the deadlock and shifted one of his swords into a shield. Blur lunged at him with an intense viciousness. He rammed the shield violently, pushing back Kinus. The sheer force of it made Kinus's arm numb entirely but he clung onto the shield for dear life. Blur went on a rampage, swinging left and right, in an almost erratic yet, methodical way. Kinus blocked, parried, but the hitman was moving far too fast for him to keep up. In a split second, the dragon cried out, as he misjudged an attack. Blur faked a left swipe before ending his string with a right.

Blood spilled.

A sharp stinging pain came from Kinus's right side, and he reeled back. His helmet flew off into the air and landed on the floor with an unceremonious thud. The front visor was now cracked, echoing Kinus's current state. In an effort to give himself some breathing room, the dragon aimed his hand onto the floor and unleashed a torrent of water that immediately solidified into a frozen wall of ice.

"You know what you're problem is, Kinus?" The reddish glow of his eye looked eerie across the ice wall. "You know why you'll never beat me?"

Kinus was far too concerned at the fact that he couldn't see anything out of his right eye to even answer at the current moment.

"It's because you're not trying to kill me," Blur continued, not waiting for Kinus to answer.

As if to punctuate his point, a shockwave rippled through the building, coming from outside the Fire Zone. What on earth was going on out there?

"You're good, Kinus, I'll give you that. No target of mine has lived this long while fighting me. But you'll never get better if you don't start taking things seriously. You're not trying to kill me."

What in the world was he talking about? Was he taunting him? Kinus wasn't sure where Blur was going with this, but if he was going to stall the fight, he was more than happy to go along with it. Besides, he needed the time to think of way to get out of his current predicament. "Of course I'm not! Why on earth would I do that?"

Blur laughed. "You really are a fool. Look at you, having a good moral compass. Did Daddy Kazehaya teach you that himself?"

The dragon gingerly held the right side of his face. He couldn't feel anything from it. It was probably from all the adrenaline coursing through him at the current moment. Blood began to drip onto the floor. "Yeah! He did! I'm not trying to kill you, because killing isn't what heroes are meant to do," Kinus spat back. It was getting harder to focus. Exhaustion was starting to make itself apparent on him. But the dragon pushed himself. He wasn't going to die here, not by a longshot. He remained positive. "We bring evil doers to justice! Heroes don't kill people. That's what separates us from villains."

Blur visibly paused at hearing the declared statement. "And here I thought you all just wanted to be heroes for the glory and fame. Maybe Shigaraki's wrong about you in that regard…" The contract killer snorted. "So what, you're going to reform villains then?" The villain gently tapped the ice wall. "You're going to reform people like me?"

"Yes!" Kinus replied valiantly, sticking to what he believed in. To what he believed was right.

The red dragon laughed. "You really are something else. Kids these days...thinking it's as simple as black and white." He smirked at the blue dragon. "You have my respect, Kinus. At least you actually believe in something. Let me ask you this then, what if a villian who can't be reformed appears? What then?" Blur pressed his sickle against the ice wall and the frozen obstacle began to crack. "Do you have the conviction to do the dirty work that needs to be done?"

Kinus stood his ground, his mind racing. The ice was going break at any moment. Think, Kinus! Think! "I refuse to believe that," he answered, trying to at least stall for more time. "I know that everyone has good in them and deserves the chance to do what's right!"

The entire floor of the building shook as a shockwave passed through the entirety of USJ. It was like bombs were going off outside the Fire Zone. But Kinus couldn't even focus on that as ice barrier he set up shattered entirely, and Blur stood in front of him. The red dragon looked at him perplexed but then shook his head. Kinus readied himself, forming another sword in his other hand. He was going to have to fight blind in one eye.

"You really are like your father," Blur said. His eyes began to glow a deathly red. "It's disappointing that I have to kill you for such a petty reason." He shrugged.

"You don't have to do this!" Kinus shouted in a pleading tone.

Blur shook his head. "You choose to be a hero, Kinus." The villain raised his metal rod. "I choose to be a contract killer. You save people. I, on the other hand," he lowered and got into an offensive stance and then said, "don't leave a job unfinished."

Kinus readied himself, but it was obvious that he was at a severe disadvantage. The right side of his face was bleeding, he couldn't see anything from his right eye and he had to keep it from getting worse by applying some coldness to it with his hand. To top it off, the amount of blood he was losing was becoming concerning. It was a miracle he hadn't passed out yet. Blur launched himself at him, this time with deadly ferocity. The villain crashed into him, sending the young dragon flying through the air before skidding into a helpess heap onto the floor. The dragon scrambled to stand, but Blur was quickly on top of him.

With a maniacal laugh, Blur kicked him square in the face, and Kinus swore he saw stars. He tasted the blood in his mouth and the bleeding from his face began to flow again. Blur slashed at him with his scythe. Kinus rolled out of the way but not before getting his arm nicked in the process. The dragon howled in pain, blood spilling more on to the floor. Even his dragon scales weren't strong enough against Blur's onslaught.

Was this it? Was this the end of line? Kinus crawled towards the wall, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Was there anything else he could do?

"See, Kinus, this is what happens when you don't try to fight like your life depends on it," Blur said. Kinus turned his body to see Blur walking up to him. He truly looked like a messenger of death as the flames of the burning building they were in illuminated him ominously. He swung his scythe around, the red tint from his eyes beginning to fade. Kinus frantically tried to find something, anything to get him out of the bind he was in.

That was when he saw something shine from behind Blur.

Shockwaves began to permeate the area, shaking the entire building they were in. If Kinus hadn't known better, he thought there was a terrible earthquake happening.

"It's kill or be killed," Blur announced. "And if you don't decide, someone is going to make that decision for you!"

Blur lunged at him, jumping into air.

Time seemed to slow down.

Kinus was at his limit. This was his only chance. Multiple things occured at the same time, but it all happened in a flash.

Blur was in the air, scythe aimed straight at Kinus's form on the floor.

Kinus closed his eyes. He sprayed all water he had in his pack onto the floor, then the dragon commanded whatever liquid was around to come to him.

"GAH!"

Seconds ticked by and Kinus wasn't sure if he was still alive or not. The first sound he heard was the sounds of the flames still burning brightly around them, but it was soon drowned out by the wheezing that was coming in front of him. Kinus dared to open his eyes. The first thing he saw was Blur. Gone was the cocky grin and arrogant smile, but was instead replaced by a face contorted to that of extreme pain and anguish.

His limbs were frozen by ice that was anchored onto the floor. But that wasn't the source of Blur's pain.

Kinus rolled towards the side to see, only for his left eye to widened upon the realization. Blur was impaled from behind by his halberd. He was hit directly on the back, his trusty weapon buried deep into the dragon's back. What struck him the most was the fact that his halberd wasn't frozen blue as it normally was but instead had blotches of red on it.

What was that? Was that…

Blood spilled onto the floor as the tip of Kinus's weapon pierced through Blur's entire body. Pained gasps came from the red dragon as he struggled to breath. Blur turned to face him, clearly fighting through the pain. "I...guess…" It was hard to talk. No air was coming through his nostrils. "You aren't...your father…."

Kinus watched as the life disappeared from the villain's eyes, and before long he was left staring at the face of a dead dragon.

Amidst the rubble outside, a form began into stir.

Ojiro groaned, feeling pain wash over his entire body. His back, his chest, his arms, everything hurt; was he hit by a truck or something? He sat upright, trying to get his bearings. Everything was on fire around him, buildings, cars and even some debris. Red and yellow flames danced happily as far as the eye can see. The boy blinked, his memory coming back to him. USJ! His classmates! The villains! Kinus!

"Hazani?!" he cried out, looking around. "Hazani, where are you?!"

"I'm here…"

Ojiro turned around, relieved to hear the voice, only to be floored by the appearance of his friend. Kinus looked like he went through hell. His superhero costume was ripped and torn, exposing his chest. He was holding the right side of his face, and blood was streaming from his other arm.

"Hazani! What happened?!" he asked.

The dragon smiled but ended up grimacing instead. "A villain happened," he answered flatly. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

The boy was clearly not buying Kinus's attempt at bravado. "You are not fine at all." He then proceeded to rip the sleeve of his karate gi. "Do you still have water in your pack?"

The dragon glanced at his datapad and saw that it was hovering around 20 percent. "I do. Why?"

Ojiro quickly made a long strip from the torn fabric. "Wash your wound so I can bandage it up."

Kinus nodded. He pointed the nozzle and gently guided the water to his face. It stung a little, but the dragon powered through it. Ojiro visibly winced upon seeing the state of the dragon's face. The wound looked serious. "Kinus, can you still see out of your right eye?"

"I think so…"

The boy held up his left hand. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

The dragon squinted. "Six?"

That wasn't a good sign.

"We need to get you checked out as soon as possible." The boy then proceeded to wrap the strip across Kinus's face in an effort to bandage up the wound. "That should hold for now. What happened in there anyway?" Ojiro asked, admiring his handiwork.

Kinus's mind flashed back the image of Blur's lifeless body in front of him. He was honestly still processing what had happened. "I…"

"You know what, just answer me later," Ojiro replied, taking note Kinus's hesitation. What mattered was that they weren't in immediate danger. Questions could be answered later. He grabbed Kinus's arm and slung it over his shoulder. "Come on, we need to move before…"

"FOUND YOU!"

The two boy's blood went cold. Even with his faltering vision, Kinus saw the outline of a couple of villains, all grinning maliciously at the two of them. Ojiro's grip on Kinus's hand tightened. This was not good. Kinus was in no shape to fight given how injured he was and Ojiro was clearly outnumbered by the group of villains in front of them.

"You're not getting away from us this time!" yelled one of the villains. He raised his weapon up above and roared, "Charge!"

The ground shook, making everyone stop in their tracks.

"What the…?!' Ojiro blurted out. Everything was shaking, like there was an earthquake. Then the villains began to scream in terror as the ground they stood on seemingly collapsed in on itself, taking them down with it.

"What in the world?" Kinus voiced out, confused at the sudden development.

The villains were all corralled into a giant sinkhole that magically appeared underneath them. A few of the villains who managed to get out of the way, look around warily, standing fully on guard. "Where is he?!" shouted one of the villains, clearly panic stricken. "Where's that damn bastard?!"

The ground shook once more and a figure rose up from the debris. "Why don't you people pick on someone at your own level?" A large hulking figure stood menacingly in front of them. It was a mechanical wonder, with each movement accompanied by a whirr of gears and pistons. It was painted in a striking yellow color that reminded Kinus of construction equipment. It took a moment for the dragon to realize who it was.

"Power Loader?!" yelled out one of the villains, clearly intimidated.

"Relax guys! He's just by himself, we can take him!" shouted another in an effort to maintain morale. "Come on, men! Charge!"

The villains hurled themselves at the pro hero. Kinus and Ojiro watched as Power Loader effortlessly dealt with the villains, a simple swat of his hands sending them tumbling across the ground in a tattered heap. The hero punched the ground, and the few that were left standing fell down another sinkhole the hero had prepared ahead of time. It was so quick and easy, Kinus actually felt pity for how bad the villains were doing. They clearly didn't stand a chance.

After the quick skirmish, Power Loader turned around to face them. "Hey!" he called out. "You boys alright?" A welcoming grin greeted them underneath the signature yellow helmet.

Kinus breathe a sigh of relief. "Thanks for saving us."

The large machine parked itself in front of them, and Power Loader turned his head. "It's no problem. Are you two okay?" he asked again.

"I'm okay," Ojiro answered, "but Hazani needs some medical aid."

Power Loader turned his head and his expression visibly grew more serious upon seeing the state the dragon was in. "I understand. Is there anyone else in this zone?"

"No. It's just us," Hazani answered.

"Good. Stay close to me. We need to get you to Recovery Girl."

As the trio began to head out of the Fire Zone, Kinus looked back and saw the devastation. The villains were all out cold, laying across the ground and clearly won't be moving for a while. It was amazing how easy it was for Power Loader to deal with them. It made Kinus and Ojiro's combined efforts seem small in comparison. The dragon smiled. The pros really were called pros for a reason.

The large green doors opened and once again they were in the main plaza of USJ. Kinus's eyes widened upon seeing the large hole up at the ceiling, with light streaming from it. What on earth happened here? Some of the ground was torn up and the bodies of unconscious villains were to the wayside being secured by the police. It looked like a battlefield. The three of them made their way up to the staircase and was greeted with more police officers. They clearly were not taking any chances.

"Kinus?!"

The dragon's ears perked. He recognized that voice anywhere. "M-mom?!"

The red dragoness stood out amongst the crowd as she ran towards the trio and pulled Kinus into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're safe!" she said, embracing her son tightly. "I was so worried about you!"

Kinus lightly cried out, his body aching from the tight hug. "R-relax, Mom, I'm okay," the dragon said, doing his best to reassure his mother. "Though, I'd appreciate it if you're not squeezing me too much."

"S-sorry," she said, rubbing a tear from the corner of her eyes. She turned to both Ojiro and Power Loader and said, "you two have my thanks."

Ojiro just smiled meekly, surprised at the compliment. Power Loader on the other hand nodded. "It was no problem, Detective." The Pro Hero smiled and went back down, heading over to a group of police officers who were busy detaining villains who were being handcuffed.

Ruby turned to Kinus and eyed the injuries his son had. "We need to get you to Recovery Girl and the rest of the paramedics." She then began to lead Kinus out of the facility, with Ojiro supporting his classmate along the way. "Can you still see, Kinus?" Ruby asked, concern evident in her tone.

"I sure hope so," Kinus answered optimistically. "I just want to lie down. I'm exhausted." Truth be told, now that the excitement was dying down, the stress and exhaustion was finally catching up to Kinus. It was becoming a conscious effort just to stay awake. They reached the doors to USJ and exited the building. Kinus took a deep breath. Fresh air never felt so good.

"Hazani? Oh my goodness, Hazani!"

The dragon turned his head to see the rest of their classmates standing at the sidewalk with another detective. Everyone looked comparatively fine in contrast to Kinus. Looks of concern, shock and curiosity filled their faces as Kinus passed by them. Even Tokoyami looked visibly surprised upon seeing the state he was in.

"Hey guys," he responded, giving them a meek wave. It was getting harder to move his body. Sleep felt so good.

"What happened?" Sero asked curiously.

"You look like you went through hell," Kirishima added.

With his costume torn and shredded, both dried and fresh blood on his body, and the state that half of his face was covered with a makeshift bandage, it was an appropriate statement. "I did. I had to fight goons and thugs with Ojiro." Ojiro gave everyone a confident thumbs up as Kinus smiled wryly. "Then I had the pleasure of going up against a villain all by myself," he added half serious, half jokingly. "There's nothing like fighting for your life to get the blood pumping."

Everyone stared at Kinus, even the detective. His own mother looked at him with an unfathomable expression.

Before any other questions could be asked, the other male detective spoke up. "I'm sure you all are eager to catch up with one another." That was a clear understatement. Everyone in Class 1A seemed eager to want to know what happened with Ojiro and Kinus. "But we need to get Hazani here to Recover Girl as soon as possible. Ojiro was it?" he glanced at Ojiro, "thank you for helping, but I need you to stay here for now. We'll have a separate vehicle for you lot."

* * *

 **Author Notes:**

 **This, is by far, the longest chapter in the entire series. I always thought that USJ was a great arc, and while I was writing it, I didn't want to stop the momentum it was building. It was an exciting arc because that was our first real taste of action, so I decided to just bunch it all up together into one big chapter. This is where Kinus fights real villains for the first time. I hope you guys like the numerous fight scenes we had, and even the boss fight with Blur.**

 **Yes. I'm beginning to introduce my own spin to the plot. Afterall, Kinus is an original character, so his story is somewhat different from the main cast. I've got mysteries to set up after all!**

 **Still, thank you so much for the readers who are keeping up pace with this story. I hope you guys hang on, because this is going to be one wild ride. With USJ out of the way, you know what's next! And it's going to be the Sports Festival arc. NOW THAT, is an event that I'm REALLY looking forward to. After all, we've got a mysterious villain who seems very interested in wanting to see Kinus dead ; 3**

 **Why? Who is he? What are his reasons?**

 **Read on to find out more as the plot thickens!**


	9. Chapter 9 Thoughts

**Age of Heroes**

 **By Viperwatcher**

 **Chapter 9**

 **Thoughts**

* * *

It was all a blur.

The moment Kinus laid down on the stretcher and closed his eyes, he passed out. From then on, he drifted in and out of consciousness, getting hazy visions and scenes as his body desperately tried to force him to rest after such a harrowing event. At one point he was being carried to the clinic, then after that, he was being treated for his wounds. Recovery Girl was there, possibly giving him a piece of her mind. The dragon couldn't remember honestly. The hero's lips were moving but no sound was coming out of her mouth. Kinus lost consciousness once again the moment Recovery Girl used her Quirk on him. He fell into a deep slumber, losing track of time entirely as his body shut down.

The dragon's mind, however, was wide awake.

The boy found himself standing in the streets of the Fire Zone once more. The smell of ash, burning debris and smoke filled his nostrils. The sound of shouting and fighting emanated from the distance. Kinus looked around, and was shocked to find a piece of white cloth standing out amidst the dull pile of debris.

"Ojiro?"

He was about to move towards his friend. When a voice cut above the noise.

"He's dead you know."

Everything went silent and for a moment Kinus thought he had gone deaf. He turned around to face the source of the voice to find none other than Blur standing menacingly in front of him.

"N-no! That's not true!" he spat back.

The villain snapped his fingers and bodies began to appear in front of the man's form. Kinus reared back and gasped. The lifeless bodies of his friends laid there in front of him. Some were missing some limbs, others were clearly bloodied and bruised. It was a horrifying sight to behold, something straight out of a nightmare. Blur walked to one of the bodies and knelt down.

"See, Kinus, this is what happens if you don't fight like you mean it. You don't have the conviction to see things through." Blur grabbed one of the bodies and Kinus's eyes widened. "Poor fellow," Blur remarked, tapping Tokoyami's beak. "He tried so desperately to fight me." He dropped the bird's body back on the floor, where it landed with an unceremonious thump. "You lack the drive to do what's necessary. To end things when they should. Because of your hesitation, your friends have died. Your cause is admirable, Kinus, but some people are never going to change, like me."

Kinus blinked and Blur disappeared. The dragon frantically looked around and stopped as the blade of a scythe pressed close to his throat.

"And that's why…" Blur lowered his head to meet with Kinus's ears. "You're going to die too."

"NO!"

Kinus woke up with a start, sitting upright so fast, he felt the room spinning around him. It took a moment for him to recover his entire composure and for his vision to clear. He looked around. Blue walls faintly illuminated by the sunlight spilling in from the window. A computer at the far corner of the room, atop a desk cluttered with paperwork. A large closet hiding in the corner. His breathing began to relax as he recognized where he was.

He was in his room.

Kinus sighed and laid back down. He was drenched in sweat, and his heartbeat was still coming down from that high. Admittedly, the dragon wasn't one for nightmares. Most of the time he slept, he had nothing but dreamless sleep. Maybe a wacky dream or two here and there, but nothing that ever stood out. It was always just staring into that black, inky void. Losing consciousness for one second, then the next thing he knew, morning was here and he was refreshed and ready to start the day. He couldn't even remember the last time he had a nightmare. He tossed around the bed, still feeling a slight ache in his body. What time was it anyway? Better yet, what day was it?

The dragon looked towards the desk near his bed and was glad to see his phone placed there. His mother must have left it there for him. Reaching outwards, he grabbed hold of the device and focused his eyes to make sense of the digital display. It told him that it was Saturday, and school was going to start an hour from now.

The dragon blinked. That can't be right? He read it again, and sure enough, he was right. School was going to start in an hour. He overslept! The dragon forced himself out of the bed, flinging the blankets off him. His body revolted, his head threatening to spin the room once more. But the dragon pushed through. Kinus was determined to not miss a day of school. Hero training was important after all, and he wasn't going to let simple muscle ache stop him.

He stood on shaking legs, and his entire body felt heavy to carry. Doubt began to crop up in the dragon's mind but he pushed them back as he walked towards the door, rubbing his eyes. He opened it and was greeted with the sound of the TV broadcast in the living room, and the smell of a fresh meal being cooked in the kitchen.

"M-mom?" he called out. His voice sounded raspy.

The familiar red scaled dragoness poked her head out of the kitchen's open door frame. "Kinus?" she called out. "Oh, Kinus! You're awake!" She immediately finished up what she was doing and made her way to his son who was sheepishly smiling at her. "How are you feeling?" she asked, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Do I have to answer that question?" Kinus asked back, offering his mother a warm smile. "I'm okay, mom. Why didn't you wake me up? I'm going to be late for school."

Ruby stroked his son's cheeks and gave it a loving squeeze. "Ever the go getter, I see. Don't worry. U.A. cancelled classes for today."

The blue dragon blinked. "Why is that?"

"They wanted to buckle down and double their security efforts after what happened," she answered plainly. "Go wash your face while I get your breakfast ready. You must be starving."

"Thanks, mom."

Kinus made his way to the bathroom to go freshen up. He turned on the lights and stared at the dragon staring back in the mirror. His ocean blue eyes practically glowed under the dim light, and his two yellow horns that protruded from the top of his head framed his entire face perfectly. He flicked his ears back and forth to make sure they were still in good working order. But the one thing that stood out the most was what happened to the right side of his face. He gingerly tapped the skin, feeling the deep cut that had now become a scar. The scar reached from the bottom of his face, scratched his eye, and etched all the way to the top in a tilted angle. He covered his left eye and sure enough, his vision blurred slightly. He could still see, but he just had to focus now if he needed to see with only his right side.

"Damn…" he said to himself. "I look horrible!" A smile formed at the corner of his lips in a show of amusement.

Kinus cupped the water with his hands and began to rinse his face, the cool water dripping down his skin like scales. He then reached for the towel to rinse off and made his way back to the kitchen. Ruby was applying the finishing touches on the dinner table, and he joined her for a hearty meal of breakfast. Kinus helped himself to a piece of toast as he directed his attention to the news broadcast.

It was a news report about the attack at USJ, and was showing the aftermath of the incident. The large gaping hole that was at the side of the USJ building was depicted front and center, and Kinus was amazed to find out that it was All Might that had done that. Pros were truly on a different level.

"...we reached out to Principal Nezu for comment in regards to this brazen attack on the hero academy."

Principal Nezu appeared on screen. It was always an amusing thought to think that the person leading the charge on the future of heroes was such a small figure. But despite his size, Nezu stood proud and tall, looking surprisingly cheerful despite the circumstances. "I understand that everyone is concerned for the safety of their children after this incident," he began, "and I would like to take this moment to tell you that your children are all safe. We are currently working hand in hand with the police to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again. For now, however, we will cancel classes for a day to address the damage that has been caused by this tragedy, and allow us to heighten our security efforts..."

Kinus sighed, now taking a sip of cool water. He couldn't imagine the amount of stress Nedzu must have been going through after an ordeal such as this.

"Kinus?"

The boy raised his brow. "Yeah, mom?"

"How's your eye doing?" she asked, looking at him with concern. "I was told by Recovery Girl that you won't be going blind but...there might be some lasting damage…"

It was evident in her tone that she was worried for his son. "I'm okay, mom," he answered, offering a confident smile. "I can still see your beautiful face."

His mother chuckled. "I'm glad your sense of humor is still intact."

"Seriously though, it's a bit blurred," he continued. He covered his left eye and looked at the TV. The scrolling text on screen was a bit hard to read, and it required him to focus in order to decipher them. "I'll live though. I still have my other eye after all."

Ruby nodded, and the two continued to watch the news report.

The shot was now changed to the news host that was standing in the studio. "We've received some update news about the breakout that occurred a few days ago. The police have evidence to suggest that the League of Villains were responsible for the breakout, and thus explains why there were able to amass such a large quantity of villains in such a short amount of time. As for another update," Pictures flashed on screen, one of them showed an establishment that had smoke billowing out from its broken windows. A mess of debris, broken foundation and items laid strewn about as firefighters fought to quell the fires inside."The police are now actively determining if there is a link between the League of Villains and the recent string of bomb explosions that have been rocking the city."

"There was a breakout?" Kinus asked, turning to his mother.

Ruby nodded. "It's honestly been a mess at the department, Kinus. We've been trying to sort this out for a few days now, and it's only yesterday that it came to bite us in the ass. If only we had known they intended to target U.A., we could have done some preventative measures to counter this."

"Don't feel too bad, mom. You couldn't have known that was going to happen."

"I know…" Ruby lowered her head. She faced him once more, her eyes looking somewhat watery. "I was so worried when the call came in, saying something had happened at U.A. I was…" she choked up, and had to take a moment to regain her composure. "After your father died it's just been the two of us and..."

It honestly tore Kinus to see his mother like this. The boy stood up and went over to comfort his now crying mother who was wiping away the tears from her face. "It's okay, mom. It's okay. I'm alright." He grabbed one of the napkins on the table and offered it to her.

Ruby took it and began to wipe away the tears. "I know, I know...it's just that, I don't want to lose you. They hurt you, Kinus!" she said, looking at him. "You're lucky that you can still see!"

In an effort to try and lighten the situation, Kinus pouted. "I'd like to believe that I'm still alive because of my skill."

His mother chuckled. "Oh you, come over here." She pulled her son into a hug and Kinus smiled, feeling the warm embrace of his mother. "I know I can't change your mind in your decision to want to be a hero but...just be careful, alright?"

"I always am, mom," he answered. "Besides, I could say the same thing. You're line of work isn't exactly the safest one too."

Kinus spent the rest of the day being at home. Since there was no school for the day, he took advantage of the situation and did what any teenager of his age would do. He took the time to finish any remaining school work he had left and took the chance to catch up on his studies. But as the dragon buried his face into his notes and books, his mind drifted and thoughts of what happened at USJ began to prop back into the forefront of his consciousness.

Blur. Who the hell was he? From what Kinus could gather from the sparse dialogue they had with one another, and from how Blur acted, he was a professional hitman. But that brought up the question, who sent him? And better yet, why?

Those two questions burned a hole in Kinus's head. Kinus never had enemies. Or at least were never at odds with anyone who would've resorted to hiring someone to kill him. That was way too extreme. He saw himself as a nice person, and never made it a point to be in conflict with anyone. The question left the dragon utterly baffled. As he quietly mulled this over, another question popped up into the dragon's head. What now? Clearly he survived the planned hit on him. Would they send someone else again?

The mere thought of it made the dragon laugh to himself inside the silence of his own room. "What am I even thinking?!" he cried out. "This can't be happening to me…" he muttered. "What am I supposed to do…?" The dragon thought for a moment. "I suppose I can tell mom."

But the dragon shot the idea down as quickly as it came. That wasn't a good idea. His mom would begin to ask questions and he wasn't exactly keen in revealing to her yet that he killed someone.

I killed someone, he thought to himself, feeling a shudder pass through him as the words echoed in his head.

No matter how many times the thought crossed his mind, the weight behind the phrase 'I killed someone' would never seem to go away. The dragon felt an empty void forming itself inside of him as his mind vividly replayed the memory of what transpired between him and Blur. In his defense, it was an accident, and even then, Kinus didn't mean for it to happen. Yet it still did, and Kinus wasn't sure what to feel. He became a hero because he wanted to save people and save lives. But now he ended up killing someone in the process because he had to defend himself.

He knew deep down what he did was wrong; killing was never the answer.

But thinking hard on it, maybe there really wasn't a choice to begin with. Blur wasn't exactly going to stop even if he asked nicely and he wasn't in any position to be able to knock him out.

The dragon sighed. "Where the hell did it all go wrong…?" he muttered. "Does All Might even have to deal with stuff like this…? Am I going to jail? I'm too young to go jail!"

A loud thud echoed in the room as the dragon's forehead collided with his desk, perfectly encapsulating Kinus's confused state.

Even as the day became night and Kinus opted to play video games to distract himself, his mind refused to relent. It was even getting to that point where his mother was noticing his apparent withdrawal.

"Are you okay?" she asked while the two of them were eating dinner together.

Kinus was swirling his food around with his spoon and was brought back to reality by the sound of his mother's voice. "Huh? Sorry, what?"

"Are you okay, Kinus?" his mother repeated. "Is something the matter?"

The dragon shook his head. "I'm fine," he answered. "I've just been thinking...a lot…"

"Oh?" his mother cocked her head to the side. "About what?"

Where on earth was he going to start? About how some random stranger out there somewhere was after his life for whatever reason? About how he killed someone by accident? About how he was confused and didn't know what to feel?

"Just some school stuff," he answered. He needed someone to talk to. His mother, however, wasn't the person he was looking for right now.

Ruby looked at him skeptically. His son wasn't the type to keep secrets from her but she knew well enough that it wasn't best to force him. Kinus would probably tell her when he felt it was the right time. "I understand. Still, if there's anything bothering you, you can tell me, alright?"

"Yeah, mom, thanks." Kinus stared at his food, wondering if the answer he was looking for was somewhere in the soup he had made.

"...This isn't about a girl, is it?"

"MOM!"

"A boy then?"

Kinus blushed furiously. "NO! Of course, not!"

Ruby shrugged, a knowing smile on her lips. "Okay, just checking. You are nearing that age after all."

Kinus buried his face in his palms. "Oh my goodness, mom! Please, no! You're making this awkward!"

Fast forward one embarrassing awkward dinner conversation later, Kinus was now back in the comfort of his own room, idly playing a video game on his computer. He ended up pausing his game when the sound of a chat notification came from his speakers. He viewed the application and it turned out it came from the group chat of Class 1A that he was part of.

His eyes trailed over the conversation that had been ongoing so far. They were talking about homework...some school projects...there was a joke here, a joke there. Mineta trying to ruin the conversation by being weird again...It was par for the course.

That was when the idea crossed his mind. He couldn't talk about the stuff that was bothering him to his mother...but maybe he could talk to one of his classmates. The dragon glanced at the contacts list and began to think who would be the best choice. Someone who he was close enough to confide in. Someone that, maybe, would understand how he felt…

After a few moments of mulling it over, he nodded to himself. He reached for the mouse and clicked the person's username.

"Hey, you there?"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Internal drama! I'm sure you can imagine the type of stress that Kinus would be undergoing right now. It's not exactly common for people of his age to be able to say that they actually killed someone already. Granted, it was in self defense, but the point still stands. And that type of shock doesn't go away easily. Any guesses as to who he's contacting for some emotional support is highly welcomed.**

 **(Beta-Beta thinks it's Tokoyami)**


	10. Chapter 10 Chat with a Friend

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 10

Chat with a Friend

The sun was shining down brightly at Musutafu City Park.

Located in the center of the city, it was a sight of green amidst the towering urban jungle that lined it. Tall trees, wide open grassy areas perfect for picnics, wooden ornate benches, and a few fountains scattered around the area really gave the place a sense of tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle of the living city. Kinus sat on one of the wooden benches, watching people walk by. There were a few couples walking around, holding hands with one another. There were families playing around in the playpen nearby. It was comforting to know that although the world had drastically changed ever since Quirks became the norm, there were still some things that stayed the same.

"Hey."

Kinus turned his head to find none other than Tokoyami walking up to him. The black bird was wearing a casual black buttoned shirt with a partner blue jeans to go along with it. Kinus scooted over to give the boy a place to sit next to him on the bench underneath the shade of the tree.

"Thanks for coming out to see me."

Tokoyami shrugged as he sat down. His Quirk, Dark Shadow, popped out and rested on the bird's shoulder. "It's fine, dragon boy," the shadow said. "This guy right here's been needing some sun anyways."

The bird just rolled his eyes. "So, what's up?" he asked. "What did you want to talk about? I admit, I'm genuinely curious." He rested his hand on the bench and glanced curiously at Kinus. "When you told me you couldn't tell me in chat I was intrigued."

"I didn't think you were the mysterious type, dragon boy," Dark Shadow added.

Kinus laughed. "Trust me, I'm trying not to be." The dragon bit his lip, doubt slowly beginning to sprout up in his head. His resolve was firm earlier. He had decided that he wanted to talk to someone about the things he'd been going through, but now he was wondering if it was really the right call.

Dark Shadow's eyes narrowed. "Spit it out, already. You look like you're constipated or something." Tokoyami shushed Dark Shadow, but there was a tell tale sign of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

After a few tense moments, Kinus released a deep sigh. It was now or never. "I don't know how to properly say this, so I'm just going to say it." He looked Tokoyami in the eye. "I killed someone."

Kinus watched for...anything really. Body language, facial expression, anything that would give him an inkling as to what the bird was thinking. The boy's brow crinkled and Tokoyami looked at him seriously. "If this is a joke, Hazani…"

The dragon shook his head, answering Tokoyami's statement before he could finish it. "I'm not joking. It happened at USJ."

Tokoyami straightened up. Even Dark Shadow who was idly paying attention visibly leaned in, listening intently. "What exactly happened?" The bird then remembered the state Kinus was in when he was escorted out. "Is this why you were so battered and bruised?"

Kinus nodded. He then proceeded to tell Tokoyami everything. He gave him an account of what happened while they were at the Fire Zone. How he and Ojiro fought and were trying to get to the exit when Blur appeared and blew them away. He gave him a brief rundown of his fight with Blur and how at the very end, it was a life or death situation.

He told him that killing Blur was an accident.

"...and that's that," Kinus said, wrapping up his story. There was a bit of a short silence between him and Tokoyami. The bird had listened intently to his story, only serving to ask a question every now and then for clarification. Even Dark Shadow was quiet, but was clearly listening as well. Kinus could see that the both of them were quietly thinking things over.

It was Tokoyami that first broke the silence. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

The dragon took a deep breath. "I don't know. I couldn't tell my mom. She's a police officer and...I...she might put me in jail and I don't want that! I'm too young to go to jail!" he blurted out. "I guess...I wanted someone talk to." He glanced at Tokoyami who was looking at him. "You…" Kinus shrugged, trying to find the right words. Even he himself wasn't sure why he chose Tokoyami. "...I feel like I could trust you." The statement hung in the air for a few moments before the dragon ended up laughing at his own sappy statement. "I'm sorry, it's just…"

"It's fine, Hazani."

Kinus looked at the bird. "You do believe me, right?" Kinus asked him. "Even how absurd this all sounds."

"I admit, it sounds like it has the makings of a revenge manga story, but yes, I do." The bird crossed his arms on his chest, and crossed his legs as he made himself more comfortable on the bench. "My question now is, what are you going to do?"

"Live?" Kinus shrugged. "Keep on living? That's a start I suppose. Try to find out who this guy is, what he wants, and get the police on him."

"Speaking of living," Dark Shadow said, speaking for the first time after being quiet for so long. "I'm amazed you managed to take down a contract killer all by yourself, dragon boy. Consider me impressed."

Kinus smiled sheepishly. "I'd rather not do it again. Do you see this scar?" he asked, pointing to his face. "I can't see out of my right side as clearly as before."

"Don't worry," Dark Shadow said, waving a hand at him. "It makes you look badass."

Tokoyami gave the shadow a disapproving look. "That is very insensitive, Dark Shadow."

The shadow pouted. "I'm being honest."

"Still," Tokoyami said, looking at Kinus, "you shouldn't worry so much, Hazani. While I'm not well versed with the inner workings of law, I'm sure you won't get in as much trouble. You did it out of self defense after all." He then hesitated for a bit before reaching out to place a comforting hand on the dragon's shoulder. "You need to tell your mother. This is a serious matter. Your life is in danger."

The dragon looked at Tokoyami's serious expression before nodding in affirmation. "Yeah...you're right. I guess I just...overreacted?"

"I would have been more surprised if you didn't. You're under a lot of stress." The bird retreated his hand back. "I'm sure things will work itself out." Tokoyami smiled. "Fate moves in mysterious ways."

Kinus nodded, and for the first time, finally felt like he could breathe again. The haze of doubt, fear, and frustration seemingly lifted its weight off his chest and he could take in fresh air again. "Seriously, Tokoyami, thanks for coming out to see me today."

The bird waved a dismissive hand at him. "You do not have to thank me, Hazani. Isn't this what friends are meant to do?"

Kinus smiled.

"Oh my goodness." Kinus and Tokoyami turned both their heads to see Dark Shadow rolling his yellow eyes. "You two sound so sappy right now. It's making me feel weird."

"It's called friendship, Dark Shadow," Kinus remarked, "you should try it some time."

"I feel insulted, dragon boy! I thought we were friends already," Dark Shadow joked back, pretending to look hurt.

"Alright, knock it off you two," Tokoyami said.

The sound of a growl made the trio stop in their conversation. Kinus smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I wasn't able to eat much back at breakfast." Then an idea popped into his head. "Since we're here anyway, why don't we grab something to eat?"

"That I can agree on," Dark Shadow answered.

"I think I saw a good place down the street," Kinus said leading the way. As the two began to walk, he turned to Tokoyami. "So…you read manga?"

Dark Shadow grinned. "Oh, dragon boy, do I have something to tell you!"

Kinus swore he had never seen Tokoyami looked more distressed than at that moment.

"So you're a fan of Academy of Heroes?" Kinus asked. The two of them were seated inside one of the fast food establishments in the area. Tokoyami was nodding his head, his feathers looking visibly ruffled in response to having to admit one of his interests to the boy. "I didn't know!"

The bird shrugged. "It's…a thing. I read it every now and then."

"I love that show. It's one of my favorite animes!" Kinus's eyes were shining. "I'm actually keeping up with the manga too."

Tokoyami visibly perked up. "You do?"

The dragon began to unpack the burger meal he bought for himself. "I do. I actually have it in a bookshelf at home," Kinus replied.

Tokoyami was silent for a bit, visibly contemplating something deep in his mind. He was unwrapping the packaging of his burger, but it was clear his mind was elsewhere. Dark Shadow formed on his shoulder and Kinus saw the shadow roll his eyes. "You know, you're not going to know if you don't ask, right?"

The bird stiffened and glared at Dark Shadow.

"Ask what?" Kinus asked eyeing the two of them.

After a moment of hesitation, the bird then answered, "Do you have that special issue they released last summer?"

"Special issue last summer…?" Kinus sipped on his soft drink as he thought for a moment. "You mean the special run they released where it was like a special non-canon story where it was set in an alternate fantasy world?"

Tokoyami's eyes lit up. "Yeah, that one. Do you have that by any chance?"

The dragon grinned. "I do! That was one of my favorite special issue runs! Goodness, I wish they'd make an OVA series about it. Though I think they are..." His attention was then taken when he saw the bird across from him sit straight in his chair.

Kinus swore he saw a fire lit behind Tokoyami's eyes. "Hazani."

"Y-yes?"

"May I borrow it?"

Kinus worried what Tokoyami would do if he would say otherwise. "Yeah, sure thing." He chuckled, surprised to see this facet of the bird. "I didn't take you to be a manga fan, Tokoyami."

"I'm a fan of a lot of things," he answered cooly. "I just don't often share my interests with people."

The dragon took a bite of his burger. "Why's that?" When the bird didn't answer him, he opted to throw out a guess. "You think people would find it weird that you're still into manga at your age?" he asked rhetorically.

"I suppose you have a point," Tokoyami replied. He took a french fry and tossed it into his mouth. "I just…" he began, trying to find the right words. "I guess I'm just not used to telling people much about myself, or at the very least, sharing stuff I'm interested in."

"Well I think it's cool," Kinus said. "I'll be sure to bring the manga to school tomorrow so you can read it."

Tokoyami smiled. "Thanks, Hazani."

The conversation lulled for a moment, and only picked up again when Dark Shadow appeared. He asked for a french fry and Tokoyami kindly handed him one, to which the shadow ate happily. A few of the shop patrons gave Dark Shadow curious glances, but kept to themselves. Kinus could understand their curiosity.

The dragon cocked his head to the side. "So, I've been meaning to ask," he began, watching Dark Shadow finish a french fry. "I wanted to ask about Dark Shadow."

Tokoyami's brow rose. "Yeah?"

Kinus decided to ask one of the many questions he had. "What is he exactly?"

The bird glanced at Dark Shadow who helped himself to another french fry that was on the tray. "He's what you see him as." The dragon blinked in response. At the very least that was a serviceable answer. "He's my Quirk," Tokoyami continued, "that's what he is. I can't be any more specific than that as I myself wonder every now and then."

The dragon nodded. "So…" he continued, "does he need to eat then?" He saw Dark Shadow munch down another french fry into his mouth.

Tokoyami shook his head. "He doesn't need to eat. He can, but it's not necessary for him to live. What he does eat, however, just becomes converted to energy for me."

"So you can literally live, never having to eat anything, as long as Dark Shadow eats for you when you're hungry?"

The bird nodded. "But I still like the taste of food." He then proceeded to take a bite of his burger to emphasize his point.

"Does he sleep then?" Kinus continued.

"Sleep is all he ever does," Tokoyami answered flatly, looking at Dark Shadow who was resting on the table.

"He reminds me of a lazy cat," the dragon commented.

"I'll have you know," Dark Shadow spoke up, "that I'm far more than those furry felines." He rolled onto his back and let out a belch. "Have you seen me throw a villian half a street away? I'm sure those kitties can't do that!"

"I'm sure they can't," Kinus replied, reaching forward. He hesitated for a short bit, glancing briefly at Tokoyami, before reaching out fully to practically pet Dark Shadow's exposed chest. The feeling was...definitely something else, to say the least. It was like touching a solid yet soft surface that had a texture that reminded the dragon of a feathery bird, yet was silky smooth at the same time. The shadow froze for a short bit, taken by surprise at the sudden contact, but then eventually relaxed and audibly began to purr at Kinus's petting.

The dragon smiled. "Is he always this friendly?"

"Hardly," Tokoyami answered. "Most of the time he just ignores people."

"I'm glad he talks to me then," Kinus remarked, scratching Dark Shadow's chest one last time before pulling back. "Though I envy Dark Shadow for being able to sleep. I don't think I haven't had a good sleep ever since...you know, USJ."

"You've been having nightmares?" Tokoyami asked, sounding concerned.

The dragon nodded. "Pretty much. I've had a nightmare of what could have happened if I didn't win against Blur…" He visibly shivered, shaking his head. His eyes flickered to his friend. "I saw you guys die because you fought him...and then I died right after."

"I can empathize with how you feel." The bird leaned back in his chair and took a sip from his soft drink. "All the more reason you should get this sorted out with your mother."

"Yeah, you're right."

The rest of the day continued on normally. Kinus and Tokoyami hung out together with Dark Shadow providing amusing commentary and witty jokes every now and then as the two boys wasted time with one another. It gave Kinus the sense of normalcy he never knew he wanted after having to deal with serious life threatening issues a day prior. But as they made their way down the streets, the news reports that featured itself every now and then on the electronic billboards constantly reminded him of what he still needed to do.

It was later that evening, during dinner, that Kinus took the chance to tell his mother about the predicament he was in. He told her everything, about what he had done, who he had fought against and he made it a point to break it to her slowly so she wouldn't get too overloaded by information.

"How'd it go?" Tokoyami's message appeared in the chat box.

Kinus was seated in front of his computer and tried his best to summarize the conversation that had just transpired a few minutes prior. "It was...loud. Very loud. There was crying. I have never seen my mom look so visibly disturbed," he said, typing the messages as he spoke.

Tokoyami's reply came a few moments later. "I half expected as much. What is she doing now?"

Kinus looked back and could audibly hear his mother talking to someone on the phone. "She's relaying information to the police department to get some leads. Trying to find out who Blur is and what his game was. She said that if they can figure out who Blur is, and what type of clients he works with, they can probably narrow down who sent him after me," he typed back in response.

"Here's to hoping this nightmare doesn't get any more worse," Tokoyami's reply said.

"Agreed," Kinus replied.

Kinus let out a yawn as he walked down the halls of U.A.

The sun was shining brightly through the windows, giving the entire place a lively, yellow glow. Kinus was half expecting there to be police, or at the very most, extra security personnel roaming the area as a protective measure in response to the USJ incident but surprisingly, there was none. It was still U.A. as it was the day before the incident. Students and teachers were still roaming around freely, and everyone was acting like nothing happened.

Kinus smiled to himself. If there was one thing that was for certain it was that the people of U.A. were a resilient bunch.

The dragon arrived a few moments later at the door of his classroom and already he could hear the conversations the rest of his classmates were having. A few of the conversations stopped however when he opened the door and made his presence known. Kinus froze as he saw a few of his classmates were looking at him, or at least what the dragon thought was behind him. Kinus turned his head and saw no one there, confirming that they were in fact looking at him. "What?" he asked. "Is there something on my face?"

"What on earth happened to you?" Kaminari blurted out.

"Can you still see, Hazani?" Ashido curiously asked.

"Oh…" Kinus rolled his eyes. It was just his face. "Yes, I still can Ashido. It's a bit blurred on that side, but I'll live."

"So Ojiro wasn't joking then…" Kirishima muttered, as Kinus passed by him and made his way to his seat.

The dragon placed his backpack on his chair and turned around. "Okay, what have you been telling them Ojiro?"

The boy turned in his seat and smiled sheepishly at him. "We got to sharing stories of what we did at USJ and well...I told them what happened with us." Kinus's brow rose, prompting Ojiro to continue. "I told them that we got to fighting thugs and then this super fast, and super strong villain appeared.. He knocked me out but you managed to deal with him."

That...was a somewhat serviceable summarization of their encounter with Blur.

"Is it true, Hazani?" Kirshima asked. "Was he really that fast and strong?"

"Yes," he answered flatly. "I'm very happy that all I got after that was a scar. I was fighting for my life."

Kirishima gave Kinus a thumbs up. "That, is very manly! I wish I was there to fight alongside you. Seems like it would have been an awesome fight."

The dragon just smiled wryly. "I suppose it could have been."

"Still, did you guys see the news updates last night?" Sero asked. "I think I saw a picture of us at one point in the broadcast."

"All the channels made a big deal out it too," Kaminari added.

"Can you blame them?" Jiro chimed in. "The hero course that keeps pumping out pro heroes was attacked. It's only natural for them to be so alarmed."

"Who knows what would have happened if the teachers hadn't come when they did," Sero said, lounging in his chair.

Kinus sat down on his seat and propped his hand on his desk, leaning his head onto it "We would have all died," the dragon commented.

Everyone was visibly stunned at the refreshingly honest statement. Tokoyami who was quietly seated next to Kinus had a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. The juxtaposition of everyone's comments and what happened to Kinus wasn't lost on him.

"Hazani, stop that!" Mineta cried out, looking visibly distressed. "I've been having nightmares ever since USJ! I don't want to think more about it."

"SHUT UP! BE QUIET, SCUM!" Bakugo's loud voice immediately shushed Mineta back to his corner.

"But man, seeing All Might was great! To see him going to town in person is unlike anything I've ever seen before!" Sato added, punching the air in an effort to mimic All Might's power moves.

"Yes, his strength is worth wondering at," Tokoyami commented.

"I wish I could have seen that for myself," Kinus grumbled, his shoulders lowering. "But instead I had to deal with a personal matter…"

"You were off fighting you own battle, Hazani," Tokoyami said, turning to face him. "Besides, with the way you handled yourself, your strength is equally worth wondering."

Kinus smiled, feeling a little embarrassed at the sudden sentiment. "I appreciate the compliment." There was a certain sense of comfort Kinus felt in knowing that someone in the room understood what exactly happened to him. "Though, I have to say that adrenaline does wonders for you."

"EVERYONE! Morning homeroom is about to start! Stop talking and take your seats!"

Everyone stared at Iida who announced his presence with all of the boy's rule powered attitude and equally form fitting flourish.

"We're already in our seats," Kirishima commented.

"Damn it!" Iida muttered frustratedly, sitting down on his chair. "I was late again!" Kouda and Uraraka proceeded to help the boy calm down.

"Tsuyu," Ashido spoke out, "who do you think we'll have as our homeroom teacher?"

The girl thought for a moment. "Well, Mr. Aizawa is supposed to be in the hospital recovering from his injuries."

The sound of the door opening prompted everyone to turn their heads to see who had arrived. Everyone was equally shocked to find a standing, fully mummified Mr. Aizawa greet them with his usual monotone voice. "Good morning." His entire face was wrapped up in bandages, and his arm was placed in a cast. How on earth was he still able to move around with all those bandages?!

"Mr. Aizawa, you're back too soon! Are you alright?" Iida voiced out.

"My well being doesn't matter," he answered, the voice coming out surprisingly clear even though his mouth was blocked by bandages as well. "More importantly, the fight isn't over yet."

Everyone perked up the pro hero's choice of words. "Did the villains attack again?" Kinus muttered, feeling a shiver down his spine.

"The U.A. Sports Festival is drawing near."

"The school sports festival?" Kirishima voiced out. He was about to explode in excitement when Kaminari stopped him.

"Is it okay to have a sports festival so soon after the villains snuck inside?" Jiro asked, voicing everyone's line of thinking.

"What if they attack us again?" Ojiro added.

"Apparently, they think of it as U.A. showing solidarity amidst these troubled times and to show the world that our crisis management system is solid as a rock." Aizawa answered. He then continued, saying, "Obviously, security will also be strengthened in light of recent events. Above all, our sports festival is a huge chance. It's not something we cancel because a few villains decided to ruin our day. Our sports festival is one of Japan's biggest events. It's the olympics of our modern times, literally. It's what everyone is looking forward to," Aizawa said, looking at each and everyone in the class.

He continued,"all the top heroes around the country will be watching for scouting purposes. If any of you are serious in becoming pros, this is your chance to shine. Joining a famous hero agency will get you more experience and popularity. Time is limited. That's one chance a year, totalling of three chances. If you understand that, then don't slack off on your preparations.

A resounding reply came from everyone. "Yes, sir!"

Everyone began to animatedly talk with another. Talks of what training exercise they were going to do became the topic of conversation. Kinus could see Midoriya taking down notes in his notebook. Ojiro and Shouji were talking with one another about possible training regimes. It seemed that everyone had a plan in preparing for the Sports Fest, all spurred on by Aizawa's speech. Kinus nodded. His teacher's words rang true. If he ever intended in having a shot at becoming a pro hero, the Sports Fest was his chance to make a big splash.

"Alright, that's everything," Aizawa remarked. "Homeroom is dismissed."

That was when a knock came from the door. It slid opened, revealing a dog person standing at the other side. He was wearing a simple red plaid shirt and jeans. He idly scratched the tip of his nose as he said, "Aizawa, am I interrupting something?"

"No, Inui," Aizawa replied. "I just finished homeroom. What is it?"

Inui ran a hand through his messy blond hair. "I'm here to pick him up."

"Oh...that," he responded. "I see. Go right ahead."

By now everyone's attention was directed towards the appearance of the newcomer. Inui stepped into the room and stood by the door. "Kinus Hazani," he announced, "I need you to come with me."

A look of surprise crossed Kinus's face upon hearing his name get called out.

What was going on?

Inui then continued, saying, "Principal Nedzu wants to see you."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

I admit, there's a lot of exposition in this chapter mainly because I don't want to keep repeating the same information most of us are already aware of. That is, what Kinus did back in USJ. However, it does allow for fun ways to imply how the conversation went. We also get to have Kinus and Tokoyami hang out. It's always nice to get a breather after a heavy event that they went through. I think they earned it. :D

Before you guys ask, no, Inui is not an OC of mine. His name is Ryo Inui, and he's one of the staff in U.A. He's also a pro hero that appeared at USJ. I hope we get more screen time of him as the series goes.


	11. Chapter 11 Fear and Intimidation

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 11

Fear and Intimidation

Growing up, Kinus had two strong moral pillars in his life.

His mother was a police officer. She was someone who worked tirelessly everyday to fight crime and bring order and peace whenever there was chaos that was ravaging the city that they lived in. His father was a pro hero. Much like his mother, Kinus's father worked to fight the villains who sought to use their Quirks for dastardly deeds. Together, their ideals, morality, and overall direction in life helped shaped Kinus's moral compass while growing up. It molded the young dragon to be someone who upheld justice, and had a strong sense of right and wrong within his core.

So when Kinus was told he wanted to be seen by the principal, he felt like he committed a grave mistake. The dragon's mind raced, trying to think of why. He wasn't a troublemaker. He wasn't a cheater. A sinking feeling began to creep up on him as the reason slowly came to him. "Am I in trouble?" he dared to ask, looking at Inui who was quietly walking in front of him.

"Depends," came the canine's response.

They continued to walk forward and Inui led the dragon towards the principal's office. He knocked on the door. A gentle answer motioned for the both of them to come inside. "Principal Nedzu," Inui announced, "he's here."

The Principal's office was spacious and was pretty much what Kinus expected it to be. There was a long desk at the end of the room, paperwork stacked neatly on top of it, with a massive and comfortable looking chair set next to it. Some bookshelves at the corner housing books about different teaching principles and whatnot. There was even a water heater at the side for making hot tea. It felt homey yet professional at the same time.

The gray chair swivelled around revealing none other than U.A's very own principal, Nedzu. This is was the first time Kinus ever saw the principal in person. He always found the principal to be a fascinating individual, especially from his looks. He appeared like a combination of several different animals mixed together. He resembled a standing humanoid mouse but possessed dog-like paws and a bear-like face. He had black eyes with a large scar going across his right one, something Kinus realized they now shared in common. "Come in, come in," he greeted. "Please make yourself comfortable, Hazani." The principal motioned for the dragon to sit at the sofa and Kinus obediently followed. "Thank you for bringing him here, Inui."

"It's no problem at all, Nedzu," the canine answered. He took a seat on one of the free armchairs. "This is an important matter after all."

"Quite so," Nedzu replied, sounding his usual cheery self. "Hazani?"

Kinus perked up. He was beginning to feel anxious surrounded by the two adults. "Y-yes?"

Nedzu offered him a warm smile. "Do you drink tea?" The principal had walked over to the thermos and was now pouring a cup for himself. "Would you like some?"

"I-uh, yeah, thanks," he answered. Kinus thought it would have been rude to decline. The dragon glanced forward and saw Inui looking at him. He averted his gaze, feeling more nervous under the pro hero's scrutinizing eyes. Why exactly was he here? His mind was going blank. His heart began to race. It was like the answer was staring him in the face and yet he couldn't see it. Inui's stern look wasn't helping his nerves.

Principal Nedzu joined the both of them, placing a tray with three cups of warm tea on the coffee table. He took one for himself and sat on the other free armchair. Kinus took his, the cup shaking slightly in his hands. Drinking the warm liquid thankfully helped lower his anxiety. "So," Nedzu began, breaking the suffocating silence in the room, "Hazani, do you know why you're here?"

The dragon's mind raced. "I'm...not sure, honestly. Am I in trouble?"

Nedzu took a sip from his cup of tea. "Depends." There was something about the way Nedzu looked and the matter of fact tone he used in saying the statement sent a shiver down Kinus's spine. "I take it you still remember what happened the other day? At USJ?"

Just like that, the mental block disappeared. Everything came rushing back to him. Of course, it was USJ! The memories of the villains attacking, fighting against thugs and even fighting against Blur. Kinus's mind grinded to a halt. Fighting...against Blur. It was only a matter of time after all. "I...yes," Kinus answered, feeling a huge weight press on his chest. "I do." Nedzu took another sip of his tea and Kinus did the same. The dragon had an inkling as to where this conversation was going to go, and something told him it wasn't a good thing.

The principal placed his cup on the table. "Then I suppose the memories of what transpired at the Fire Zone is still fresh on your mind. Tell me, Hazani," Principal Nedzu looked at Kinus and the dragon felt he was looking into his soul, "did you kill him?"

The dragon felt his throat go dry. His instinct told him there was no point in lying. "It was an accident."

Kinus wasn't sure what Inui and Nedzu were looking for. He did his best to read their reactions but the two had amazing poker faces. Inui remained quiet, eyes closed and in clear deep thought. Nedzu pressed his fingers together, leaning back on the chair. "How familiar are you with Hero Law, Hazani?"

"Um, we're still discussing it."

"Ah, I see," Nedzu said, "well, I suppose I can tell you the most important thing. It's against the law for uncertified people to use their Quirks to cause injury. Heroes work with a license, and this is what allows them to do what they do. This is what allows Inui to attack and apprehend villains when they wreak havoc in the city." The principal tapped his fingers on the armchair. "This license, however, does not give them the license to kill."

Kinus gulped.

"This principle is what separates us from Vigilantes. We follow the rules. We do not take justice into our own hands." Nedzu had a calm, almost sickeningly sweet expression on his face that perfectly contrasted what Kinus was feeling inside. "Failure in following the rules is met with punishment to the fullest extent of the law."

The gears began to turn in Kinus's head. He didn't like the conclusion his mind was forming.

Inui opened his eyes and then said, "Blur was found dead by the police during their investigation in the aftermath of USJ, a villain that they were not expecting to see there. Do you know why?"

"Because he was a contract killer," Kinus answered.

"Exactly. Blur is a ghost. He goes in, takes out his target, gets out, and no one would be the wiser." The pro hero crossed his arms across his chest. "He's been on the top list of individuals the police have been tracking for a while now. They wanted to know who took him down. I suppose you can understand how surprised the police were when they found one of the notorious contract killers there are, dead, in USJ of all places. Even more so when they later found out that a student was his target and this student was the cause of his demise."

From the way Inui was saying all of this, it sounded like he was praising Kinus. But the dragon was far too nervous to really let the thought sink in.

"Hazani, what you did to Blur was illegal," Nedzu said, speaking up again. "As law abiding citizens, and people who champion justice, it is our duty to do what is right. I called you here today to tell you the sanction that is to be imposed upon you for your actions at USJ." The principal clasped his hands together. "You are hereby expelled from U.A. in accordance with the rules and regulations written inside the U.A. handbook."

Kinus blinked. It was like time itself stopped for him. "W-what?" he mumbled, trying to process what the principal just told him.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Inui asked, looking at him seriously.

The dragon blinked again. This couldn't be happening. This shouldn't be happening. How could he be expelled?! "I-I…" Kinus stammered, trying to find the right words, anything at all. He wanted to form an argument. His mind tried to process the series of events. "That was...Blur and…" he felt like he was grasping at straws. The air in the room was suffocating, and the dragon felt the entire room itself begin to spin.

His dreams of becoming a hero. His dreams of walking the path of a hero. Everything he chased after in his life. All the hardships he went through, gone in the blink of an eye. Was it really going to end like this? All because of rules? Rules he had to break because if he didn't, he was going to die!

"I...I...I just...defended myself...I didn't mean to...if I had known…"

"You would have, what?" Inui probed. "What would you have done differently?"

"I...would have...subdued him." Tears began to well up in the dragon's eyes. The reality that he was going to be expelled was sinking into him. "T-that's what I wanted from the start. I didn't mean to kill him. I just…" The image of Blur's face flashed in his head. "I recalled my halberd because I needed to defend myself. I was...going to die…"

"I take it you weren't expecting to stab him straight in the back?"

Kinus nodded, unable to find the power to speak anymore. His lips quivered. His entire body felt cold, empty. The morning started out so great too. The dragon was still reeling from the sanction. It was like a nightmare just materialized and made itself real in front of him. "Am I...really going to get expelled?" he quivered, looking at the two figures in front of him.

The stoic face that Nedzu had slowly morphed to that of a warm smile. "Depends."

Kinus's ears perked.

"What do you think, Inui?" Nedzu turned to his companion.

The canine's stern expression softened, if only a slight bit. "He's telling the truth."

"W-what's going on?" Kinus sounded off confused.

"Technically, you should be expelled, Hazani," Nedzu continued, still having that smile on his face. "We needed to make something certain, and that was if what truly happened between you and Blur was an accident." The principal's eyes narrowed. "We do not train villains in this school, and if a student is showing signs of being one, we immediately set them on the right course before they do anything serious, like murder someone for example." Nedzu's expression relaxed as he continued, saying, "however, after speaking with you, Inui and I see that you had no intent in harming Blur. Suffice to say, we do believe the cause of Blur's death was because of self defense."

"You can relax, Hazani, you're not getting expelled. We just needed to make sure if the intent of your actions were in the right place." Inui placed his hands on his lap and smiled at him. "You could say, you passed our morality test."

Kinus felt the weight that was pressing on his chest lift in an instant. The hazy dark cloud that seemingly suffocated him dissipated instantly. Kinus realized he could breathe again. "Oh thank goodness…" the dragon muttered. He wiped his eyes gently, relief washing over him.

"The police also agree with our belief, in the stipulation that you had no villainous intent in doing Blur harm," Nedzu added. The principal took his tea from the table and drank from it. "Though, I am perplexed. What's so special about you that a contract killer wants you dead?"

The dragon shook his head. "I don't know, sir. I've been thinking about it over the weekend. I told my mom, I guess by extension the police, everything I know, which is nothing at all. Just that Blur was hired by someone that had a grudge on me."

"Yes, I did call your mother and she told me the same," Nedzu commented. "Though surviving a hit on you…"

"I'm lucky to be alive," Kinus replied.

"You should give yourself a little bit more credit, Hazani. You held your own quite well, given the circumstances," Inui remarked. "Color me impressed. I'm quite curious as to how you'll do in the upcoming Sports Festival."

Kinus just laughed lightly, surprised at the compliment the pro hero was throwing at him. "I'm just hoping to do good. That's all."

Nedzu placed the now empty tea cup on the table. "That said, Hazani," the principal's eyes focused on him. "You are still a pressing matter at hand. In accordance with our policies here in U.A., as well as our personal judgements, we believe that it's best for you to be counseled."

"Counseled?"

"Yes," Inui added, "objectively speaking, what you have accomplished shows that you are a fully capable student, showing great promise and clearly have a bright future ahead of you. Therefore, Nedzu has tasked me in counseling you to make sure that bright future of yours, stay bright and you remain on the path of becoming a hero."

"Hazani," Nedzu began, "The select times such a thing has occurred, the student has been expelled, and promptly surrendered to the authorities for due process. What we are doing to you is a very rare exception, in part because of the peculiar circumstances surrounding it. Still, I hope you understand why."

The dragon nodded obediently. "Yes, sir. I fully understand."

Nedzu smiled. "Good. But before you go, one last thing, Hazani." Kinus stopped and looked at the principal. "I ask that you do not divulge this fight between you and Blur to any other party that isn't concerned. Since Blur is a high profile villain, his file is naturally classified. Coincidentally, this saves you of any violations in your career as a hero going forward. I see it would be in your best interests to keep it that way."

Kinus nodded. "I understand, sir. Besides, I'd rather not have an accidental kill be my first accolade."

"Good. Do not worry, Hazani," Nedzu continued. "U.A. and the police are cooperating to the fullest to keep you and the rest of the students safe." The principal smiled. "Well then, off you go. You don't want to be late for your classes. Inui, you can bring him back."

The canine nodded, standing up and heading towards the door.

Nedzu walked back to his desk and sat on the chair. "I look forward to your performance in the Sports Festival, Hazani."

A few minutes later, Kinus and Inui were walking down the hall with one another, the former breathing a huge sigh of relief now out in the corridors of U.A. Inui's brow rose upon seeing the dragon's reaction. "Did you really think we were going to expel you?" he genuinely asked.

"After Mr. Aizawa, I'm led to believe anything can happen in U.A.," Kinus answered, walking alongside the teacher.

Inui nodded in understanding. "Yeah, Aizawa has that edge to him. I take it he threatened to expel you all by doing a Quirk Assessment Test?" The dragon's nod answered his question. "Do not worry. He's strict because he means well. His methods are...questionable, at best, but they get results. He clearly wants you all to be the best you can be." Inui looked forward once more, "besides, Hazani, you have a good moral compass. You'll make a good hero."

Kinus felt his chest swell. It was definitely a very different feeling to be praised by a pro hero.

Inui's expression then instantly became stern. "Just don't do it again. Leave it to the pros to deal with matters like that, understand?"

"Yes, sir." Kinus flinched a little. How Inui can be so friendly yet so scary at the same time baffled him.

"Good. Once I get your schedule with me settled, we can get started on your counseling." The canine smirked. "For now, just forget about all this and focus on the Sports Festival."

The two reached the Class 1A doors and Kinus could hear the voice of Cementoss coming from the other side. Inui knocked on it and opened it up.

"...and that is why this story is still a better love story than Twilight." The cement hero stopped talking and turned to face the both of them. "Yes? Hazani, how nice of you to join us."

"Sorry, Ishiyama, Nedzu and I needed to talk to the boy," Inui remarked.

Cementoss's brow rose, and Kinus quickly noted the understanding glint in his eye. "Was it about…" he trailed, noting Inui's curt nod. "Ah I see. You can go to your seat, Hazani, you have a bit of catching up to do."

Kinus made himself scarce, entering the classroom and making a beeline towards his seat. He avoided the curious gazes of his classmates and revelled at being able to feel at home in his proper place. He could sense Tokoyami's curious glance towards him but didn't say a word. The dragon sighed once more, taking out his notebook from his desk.

This was definitely an eventful morning.

It was hours later when things began to settle down. The lunch bell rang and Cementoss dismissed Class 1A for the session. Kinus sighed, leaning back on his chair and dumping his things onto his desk.

"Hey, you okay?"

The dragon turned his head to see Tokoyami looking at him with concern. "I'm alright, Tokoyami," he answered. "I'm great."

The bird's brow rose and he looked at him crossly. "You're a terrible liar, you know that?" Kinus flinched a little, serving to confirm Tokoyami's statement. "So," the bird probed, "why did you get called anyway?"

Kinus briefly looked at him before realizing there was no point in lying. It wasn't like Tokoyami wasn't aware of his secret anyway. He motioned for him to come close, noting Todoroki and Yaoyorozu behind the two of them. Tokoyami nodded and leaned in forward to hear Kinus talk to him in a low voice. He whispered one word. "USJ."

The bird leaned back, and Kinus could see the gears turning inside the bird's head. "It was about that?"

"Yeah…" Kinus replied back. "I'll tell you more later. Suffice to say, it was...exciting."

"Never dull a moment for you then?" Tokoyami asked, standing up.

"Oh, if only you knew," Kinus muttered. "Right now, I'm just glad that it's behind me."

"That's true. Besides, the Sports Festival is something we have to focus on," Tokoyami commented. "We can't miss that opportunity after all."

Kinus smiled, glad that the topic of conversation shifted to that of something more positive. It was clear that everyone was excited to partake in the Sports Festival. All around him, chatter was evident and it was clear that succeeding and ultimately winning in the tournament was everyone's goal. Kinus couldn't blame them. He too wanted to win. "Do you think I'll do well?" he asked Tokoyami.

The bird climbed up on the shelves, and sat on it. With a serious look in his eyes, he then answered, "No. You probably won't make it into the quarter finals."

Kinus blinked. "Are you serious?"

"Of course I am," Tokoyami answered sarcastically.

"Don't mind him," came a voice behind Kinus. The dragon turned around to find none other than Kirishima. "You'll be fine, Hazani. If your performance against Todoroki is anything to go by, I'd say you have a pretty good shot at this." The boy gave the dragon a strong thumbs up. "I'm curious though, what did the principal want to talk to you about?"

"Um…" Kinus's mind raced. He quickly thought of an excuse. "The principal...wanted to ask me...about USJ," he answered. "You know, just ask me some things about the villains there and stuff. I think it was part of the questioning on the police's part."

Kirishima nodded. "Oh yeah, they did that to us too." Kinus was glad that Kirishima didn't probe further. "Still, these games, Hazani, are you excited? Because I sure am! I'm super pumped for these games!" he cried out.

"If we put on a good show, we're basically on the road to becoming pro!" Sero chimed in, standing next to Kirishima.

"Yeah, this is why I'm even here in the first place," Sato added, joining in on the conversation. He punched his open palm into his fist to punctuate his enthusiasm.

"We get so few chances, so we have to make the most of this," Tokoyami answered,

"Exactly. Training is going to have to be our top priority!" Kirishima said. "I'm going to have to start increasing my sessions in the gym." The red headed boy's eyes lit up enthusiastically. "I'm going to show the world how much power I truly have!" He then turned to Kinus. "How about you, what are you planning on doing to prepare?"

Kinus thought for a bit. "I suppose just do what I've been doing for the most part. Go with my training regime which is just practice my weapon skills, improve my endurance, and work on making my Quirk stronger. You know, that sort of thing." Kinus mind flashed to his last fight with Blur and the dragon visibly shivered. "Yeah...I think I'll step up my game even more. I need to get better."

That was when a loud cry cut above the chatter. "EVERYONE I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST!"

The dragon turned around to see what the commotion was about and was surprised to see Uraraka's eyes burning brightly, her entire body filled with the light of determination. It was honestly kind of scary, seeing as it was a far cry from how the girl normally carried herself. She stomped her foot to the ground, and raised her fist to the sky.

"I SAID I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST!"

Sato, Sero and Kirishima looked visibly disturbed and confused, but returned the gesture. "Y-yeah…!" Sato answered, his eyes glancing towards Kinus as if the dragon knew what was going on.

"You okay?" Kirishima voiced out. "You kind of look like you're losing it."

Uraraka's determined state remained however, seemingly getting even more fired up. "Once more for the people in the back, I said I'm going to do my best!"

If someone like Uraraka was getting this fired up, Kinus knew he needed to step up his game. Everyone was gunning for the top. He needed to bring everything he can to the table. Much like everyone else, this was his chance to shine! To show the world what he was made of!

It was minutes later that Kinus, and the rest of Class 1A found themselves eating in the Lunch Rush cafeteria. Everyone was minding their own business, chatting with one another about anything and everything. It was then that Kinus noted that someone was missing in particular.

"Hey, Iida?" he asked the boy that sat across him.

Iida looked up from the meal he was eating. "Yeah?"

"Where's Midoriya? Isn't he normally with you guys?" he asked curiously before drinking from his cup of water.

"Oh, that," Iida replied, "All Might invited him out to lunch."

"All Might?" Kaminari blurted out. "Wow, that's awesome! I wish the other pro heroes here in the school would invite me to lunch."

"Oh tell me about it," Sero added. "There's only one pro hero I want to go have lunch with." At the mention of this statement, the boy's eyes twinkled. "That would be Midnight," he said cheekily.

"Keep dreaming, you pervs," Jiro chimed in. "She's way out of your league."

Sero huffed, proceeding to take a bite out of his own food in annoyance.

The conversation however, formed a question in Kinus's head. "How come All Might seems to be the most friendly to Midoriya?" he asked.

Uraraka heard the question and thought for a moment. "It's probably because Midoriya reminds All Might of himself," she suggested. "Or maybe they just get along well with one another because of their Quirks."

"I think it's a combination of both," Iida answered. He pushed up his glasses to his face then continued, saying, "People with similar Quirks tend to get along well because they understand how each other functions, in a sense."

Tokoyami, who was finishing a chat with Kouda, joined in on the conversation. "If you put it like that, then Hazani and Todoroki should be the best of friends already."

The white and red haired boy looked up from his end of the table at hearing his name get voiced. He and Kinus's eyes met at that brief moment. The dragon just found himself smiling awkwardly at the exchange. Todoroki wordlessly returned to eating his food.

"Maybe All Might's giving him advice about the Sports Fest," Ojiro remarked.

"You think he's getting insider knowledge then?!" Ashido cried out. "That's both cool, and kind of deceitful."

"I don't think that's remotely possible, Ashido," Yaoyorozu commented.

The pink girl visibly deflated. "...and here I was hoping to ask Midoriya very nicely to share the knowledge with me."

"Why is that?" Kinus asked the question to Yaoyorozu.

"Well for one thing, teachers aren't allowed to spoil the games to students. That's kind of cheating. The second thing is that, each year, it gets changed," she answered. "I'm surprised you don't know."

The dragon smiled sheepishly. "I've watched the Sports Fest whenever it was on TV every year, but I mostly just tune in when they're holding the versus matches, not before. How do the students get chosen anyway?"

"It's simple really. There are four courses in U.A., there's us, the Hero's Course, then there's the Support Course, Business Course and lastly the General Education Course. These four courses are pooled together into a series of trials and the students eventually get filtered out," Yaoyorozu answered.

"The ones who end up winning those trials get to go onto the one on one versus matches!" Ashido finished. "It's always super exciting to see because you never know with the students on who are going to end up in the top 16!"

"What did they do last year?" Kinus asked.

"I think the first trial was a hostage situation, or capture the flag basically," Uraraka answered. "The students were required to save a select number of hostages inside a big city that was being patrolled by robots. You only needed to save one hostage to be able to pass to the next trial. Naturally, you're allowed to steal a hostage from another participant if you decide to do so. It was like a crazy battle royale situation."

"I actually remember that," Sero answered. "I remember that at one point, one of the buildings began to collapse in on itself because a fight between two students got way too heated. It was exhilarating!"

"Yeesh," Kinus remarked. "That sounds kind of...tough." Then the dragon smiled to himself. He was reminded of that one time a large building size robot collapsed on top of him.

"U.A's been known to go all out during these things," Iida answered. "That's why most people are excited for it." He then looked at each and everyone one of them. "We should all strive to do our best."

The hours ticked by as Class 1A's classes continued on. Kinus was honestly grateful for the fact that there wasn't any hero training for the day. It was all just the typical history, math, and science subjects that were the normal fair for high school students. The dragon was thankful for the break from all the excitement that had been happening for the last few weeks. The mundaneness of things was a nice change of pace. That said, the slight blur in his right eye was something he realized he needed to get used to as he took down notes that were being written on the board.

Eventually, the clock ticked into the afternoon and before long, Ectoplasm dismissed them of their math class. The dragon let out a sigh of frustration. While he was happy that things were simple for a change, he wasn't looking forward to the homework the pro hero had left them with. Judging from the way the others grumbled as soon as the door closed, he wasn't alone in it. But the dragon didn't let that ruin his mood. Academics, after all, was still an important part of being in U.A. as much as the heroic side of it. It was just another day in the life of a student.

The dragon was packing his things into his bag when a sudden commotion from the door roused his attention.

"Why the heck are you all here?" Uraraka voiced out.

Kinus turned his head and was surprised to see a large number of students crowding around the entrance of their classroom. At first he was wondering what they were looking at, but then he eventually realized they were looking at them. Some had curious glances, eyes flickering from one Class 1A student to the next. Others had more scrutinizing looks, visibly sizing up a student's capability.

"Do you students have some business with our class?" Iida asked, speaking up.

"Why are you blocking our doorway?" Mineta added.

Kinus had to agree. What exactly did they want? The dragon was about to voice his question when Bakugo casually walked up to the door.

"They're scouting the competition, idiots. We're the ones who made it out of a real villain attack. They want to see us with their own eyes," he answered. He stopped in front of the crowd of students and then continued, saying, "At least now you know what a future pro looks like. Now move it extras!"

Kinus inhaled sharply. Bakugo's tactlessness was something to behold. At the very least, he was glad that the boy didn't explode a member of the crowd or something of that sort. Though, knowing Bakugo, that was probably one of the things the boy would be doing if the crowd didn't make a path for him.

"You can't go around calling people extras just because you don't know who they are!" Iida replied quickly, irritated at the boy's rudeness. Midoriya and Uraraka were both shaken at Bakugo's comments.

"I came to see what the famous Class 1A was like," came a voice from the silent crowd of onlookers. "I heard you guys were impressive, but you just sound like an ass."

Kinus blinked. It seemed like proper manners were thrown out the window this afternoon. A boy with disheveled purple looking hair step out of the crowd and faced Bakugo. He wasn't the least bit intimidated by the boy and was equally staring him down and dishing out his own smack talk.

"Is everyone in the hero course just as arrogant or is it just you?

Iida, Mineta, Uraraka and Midoriya all shook their heads in an attempt to diffuse the tension, but Bakugo just growled angrily.

"It's sad to come here and see a bunch of ego maniacs." He looked at each and everyone of Class 1A. "I wanted to be in the hero course, but like many others here I was forced to choose a different track. Fortunately, the school has left us a second chance. Depending on the results of the sports festival, they'll consider our transfer into the hero course. Naturally, they'll have to transfer people out to make room."

Kinus gulped. That...was something he wasn't aware of. Judging from everyone else's reactions, that fact was also just made aware to them.

"I'm not here to scout the competition. I'm here to say that if you don't do your very best, I'll steal your very spot right from under you." The purple haired boy looked back at Bakugo. "Consider this a declaration of war."

Kinus blinked. He knew the sports fest was serious. He knew what was riding on it. But this? This...was just...this was something else entirely.

There was a moment of silence as Bakugo and the purple haired boy stared each other down. The tension was so thick, it was beginning to get hard to breath. No one dared to make a comment, or make a move, as they were all unsure of what to do next.

"HEY YOU!" A voice broke the ice. A boy with long sharp looking gray hair rose above the crowd. His thick pale eyelashes that encompassed his eyes immediately stood out to Kinus. "I'm from Class 1B next door! I heard you fought against villains so I came to hear about it! But it looks like you're just a bunch of brats who think you're better than us!"

Kinus sighed to himself. "Why can't we all just get along…?" he grumbled lowly.

"If you bark too much, it'll be embarrassing for you during the real fight when you get knocked out!" the boy continued.

But it seemed the fiery anger that Bakugo was nurturing earlier seemingly dissipated. He just began to walk out of the room, deciding that the boy was not worth his time.

"HEY! DON'T YOU IGNORE ME!"

"DUDE!" Kirishima called out, rushing towards the front door. "Where are you going?! You have to say something! It's your fault that they're all hating on us!"

"These people don't matter," came Bakugo's staunch reply. "The only thing that matters is I rise to the top."

Kinus had to admit, the boy had a point. Bakugo then proceeded to walk out, the crowd giving him some ample space as they quietly talked amongst themselves.

"Damn you, Bakugo!" Kirishima said, clenching his fist. "I hate the fact that was such a manly exit."

"I kind of agree with Bakugo," Sato said, much to the surprise of Kaminari who was standing next to him.

"We have to beat them. He wasn't wrong," Tokoyami chimed in.

"Yeah, sure, but this sucks!" Kaminari cried out. "He made us everyone's enemies!"

"Yeah that's right!" Mineta added, looking visibly distressed. "We'll just be at a disadvantage at the sports festival."

"It just means we'll have to bring the very best we have," Kinus said, joining the group of individuals in front of him. "We'll have to go beyond!" he said, trying to sound enthusiastic. "Plus Ultra, and all that."

"That's easy for you to say, Hazani," Mineta grumbled.

The dragon shrugged and the boys began to head out, leaving Kinus standing next to Tokoyami. "Let's go?" he asked.

The bird nodded and the two were off.

Walking the halls of U.A. felt suffocating as Kinus felt everyone's eyes on him. He did his best to put on a friendly demeanor, but the intimidating looks he got from the rest of the other students admittedly scared him a little. It was like these people were out for blood.

"Don't let it get to you, Hazani," Tokoyami remarked as they stepped out into the open fresh air. Kinus felt like he could breathe again. "The competition is just that fierce. You should expect it by now."

"I know that," he replied. "I know that the Sports Fest is serious and all but being transferred out of the class? THAT I did not know."

"That should be your wake up call to take this more seriously. True, it's all fun and games, but if you don't do well, this may very well be the end of the road for you," Tokoyami said ominously. "I myself have no plans on having my hero path end here," the bird's eyes then flicked towards him, "neither should you."

The dragon let out a frustrated sigh. "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll start training the moment I finish the homework Ectoplasm gave us. I'll have to start adjusting to the blurriness in my right eye anyways." The dragon looked at Tokoyami. "How about you? What's your training regime?"

The bird remained quiet for a moment, before finally speaking, saying, "Practice my control of Dark Shadow more, improve my vitals, and work on my fighting style."

"I see you're heeding All Might's advice then," Kinus remarked, remembering the previous conversation they had.

"Yes. I need to be able to handle myself when Dark Shadow is busy fighting his own battle." The bird clenched his fist. "I cannot settle with the way I am right now. I have to get stronger."

"That's the spirit!" Kinus commented, gently tapping Tokoyami on the back. "Knowing you, I'm sure you can pull it off."

Tokoyami smiled, glancing at Kinus. The dragon didn't notice it, but there was a flash of emotion in the bird's eye, one that showed a fire of determination.

The two rounded the corner and began to make their way down to the city, heading towards the subway station as they've normally done now for the last few weeks of walking home together.

"How long do we have anyways?" Kinus voiced out. "Remind me again, when is the Sports Festival?"

"It's two weeks from now," Tokoyami answered.

"Two weeks…" Kinus mumbled to himself. "Two weeks of preparation and training and then after that, showtime." The dragon took a deep breath. Already, he could feel the nerves beginning to show, but then, there was another part of him that was equally excited. He was looking forward to the Sports Fest. It was Kinus's chance to test himself. "Welp, there's no time like the present I suppose."

"I'd say you're already well prepared," Tokoyami remarked. "You did fight against a villain and managed to live to tell about it. Though, don't let that go to your head."

Kinus let out a light laugh. "Oh trust me, I'm doing everything in my power to forget about it." He shivered. He wanted to forget about Blur and everything about USJ already. He could do without the traumatic memories.

"So," came a voice. Kinus recognized it as Dark Shadow. The black figure perched itself on Tokoyami's shoulder, roughly having the size of a small cat. "Are you going to ask him or not?" The question was directed to Tokoyami.

"Ask me?" Kinus asked curiously. "Ask me what?"

"I was getting to that, Dark Shadow," Tokoyami remarked. He took a breath before glancing at Kinus. "Hazani."

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to ask for your help."

Kinus paused, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. "Help on what?"

There was a determined look in Tokoyami's eyes. "I want to ask for your help in fighting. It's clear that you have a knack for close quarters combat, something I clearly need work on. Would you be willing to teach me a few pointers?"

"We've been talking about this for a while now." Dark Shadow's yellow eyes focused on Kinus. "Your track record shows you're a perfectly capable fighter, so you're the best person to ask about this." The dragon swore the shadow was smiling confidently at him, as if he knew his answer already. "So how about it, dragon boy? What do you say?"

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

 **Now THAT was a close one. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and Kinus's actions at USJ definitely has its consequences. Thankfully, his story of being a hero isn't as cut short that abruptly. But, you can definitely tell that Nedzu will be keeping an eye on him from now on, and even Inui as well.**

 **This just keeps getting better and better.**

 **FINALLY! We're on the road to the Sports Festival! By far, one of my favorite arcs tackled in the entire series. Seeing everyone doing their best to try and win the tournament is just so exciting. The fights in the Top 16 we're utterly captivating. I'm definitely looking forward to writing this all out. Now I'm sure you all are wondering, "Is Kinus going to win? Is he going to be the champion? Or is he going to lose? What's going to happen? Will you deviate from the anime?"**

 **These questions will be answered in due time folks! For now, Kinus and the rest of Class 1A has to prepare for it! I know that the anime kind of just did a time skip to get to the good stuff, but I realized this would be a perfect chance for me to do some character development for Kinus as well as his relationships with his friends. I sure hope you guys like it!**

 **Please don't forget to comment you guys! Feedback is always greatly appreciated.**


	12. Chapter 12 Training Montage

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 12

Training Montage

Two weeks.

Two weeks was all they were given, and even then, with each passing second, time was beginning to tick by. In the span of two weeks, U.A. expected all the students who were going to participate in the sports festival-and that was pretty much the majority of the student population-to be in tip top physical form, ready to show the world what they can do and be crowned the champion. Anticipation was at an all time high and the pressure wasn't lost on the students.

Each and every student of Class 1A took the little time they had left to prepare. U.A. was supportive enough to give permission to students to use the school facilities after classes to train in whatever manner they deemed fit. Everyone used this to their advantage. Iida used the track and field to practice his runs, seemingly becoming a blur in the afternoon, leaving nothing but dust behind him as he ran countless laps over and over, all in an effort break past his current speed limit. Tsuyu took to the school pool, training her already excellent swimming techniques underwater into a razor sharp edge. Ojiro and Sero used the large urban setting U.A. had to work on their movement as well as get more training in for their Quirks. Even USJ was open to any student who wished to use them. Kouda, Sato, Uraraka and a few others used this as their training ground, determination behind their every move.

Everyone was certain to push themselves to their limit.

Sensing the drive his classmates had, Kinus wasn't going to let himself lag behind, not by a long shot.

It was later that afternoon after classes that Kinus found himself standing inside U.A.'s gymnasium. There were already other students there, minding their own business as they focused on their own specialized training regime. Some were lifting barbells, others were running on treadmills. Shoji was actually on one of the bench presses, lifting a barbell whose weight visibly shocked Kinus. The boy was super strong, but that was probably because he had six arms to lift with. Each and everyone were in their own world. There were mats placed on the floor to allow people to work on their flexibility, and there was even a full sized boxing arena at the far side of the room. U.A.'s dedication to having top notch facilities never ceased to amazed the dragon.

"So this is where we're going to train?" came a voice from behind Kinus.

The dragon turned around to find Tokoyami walking up to him.

"Yep! When I learned that U.A. had a space like this, I figured, why not. We might as well make the most of what we have," Kinus remarked. The dragon began to do some preliminary stretches on the mat, rotating his head back and forth.

"Still, Hazani, thank you," Tokoyami said as he joined Kinus in stretching.

"You don't have to thank me," the dragon replied back. "It's the least I can do." Kinus lowered to the ground and stretched out his legs, making sure to get his thigh muscles. "Though, I still stand by the fact that you're probably better off asking someone else. I'm not exactly the best teacher."

"Nonsense," Tokoyami said. "I've seen you fight. You're probably the best person I know."

The dragon found himself blushing at the compliment. "Thank you." He cleared his throat and planted his feet firmly on the rubber mat. It was a bit odd to move around with only his socks on his feet but the dragon would get used to it. "So," he began, "you wanted to start with hand to hand, right?"

Tokoyami nodded firmly. "Yes."

"And this is no Quirks. Just physical training?"

Another nod.

Kinus nodded back, remembering the mental lesson plan he created when he agreed to Tokoyami asking him to teach him a few tricks. It wasn't exactly a detailed lesson plan, but it was a start nonetheless. He mainly took inspiration from how his mentor taught him when he first started learning how to fight.

"Okay," he began. He stood in front of the bird. "I want you to hit me."

Tokoyami's head cocked slightly to the side. "Hit you?"

"Yes," Kinus answered. "I want you to hit me. I want to see what you can do."

"Okay then," Tokoyami answered, sounding a bit skeptical for a moment. He then got into a fighting pose, raising his fist up. Kinus stood his ground, watching the bird closely. Tokoyami began to walk forward before launching a quick jab straight at Kinus.

Immediately, Kinus responded, raising a hand to block Tokoyami's attack. The bird's fist stopped a few inches short off coming in contact against Kinus's face. "Not bad," Kinus responded. He cocked his head to the side and gave the bird a smile of approval. Tokoyami on the other hand looked visibly surprised, but it immediately went away and reverted back to the calm and serious expression the bird had. "Why don't you try…"

But whatever Kinus was going to say next was cut off as Tokoyami didn't wait for him to finish. The bird sent out another punch, this time coming from the side. The dragon's reflexes carried him, his other hand quickly coming up to stop the attack. The bird's fist was stopped once again.

Kinus's eyes flicked towards Tokoyami, giving the bird a knowing look. There was a brief pause in their movements as each held their stance in place.

"Okay, I'll give you points for-"

But it would seem Tokoyami wasn't interested in getting lectures. The bird quickly sprang into action, rearing back to throw another punch at the dragon. Kinus rolled his eyes before quickly ducking, the punch whiffing past his head. He quickly raised his hand up as a kick was sent towards his way, stopping it from hitting his head. The bird was quick in his movements, doing his best to hit the dragon that was blocking and dodging every attack he sent towards him.

The two were locked into a sparring match.

Tokoyami was giving it his all. A punch here, a punch there, each was either met with a near close call for Kinus or a well time block by the dragon. Even as he tried to switch things up by throwing a kick, followed by the other, Kinus would duck under it just in the nick of time. The dragon jumped as Tokoyami went for a sweep. He used his momentum to carry him, pressing both of his arms on the bird's shoulder and practically launching himself over him. He landed squarely back on his feet, completely unscathed. The bird however didn't let up, spinning around in an effort to catch the dragon as he landed. But Kinus was one step ahead. He bent over, the bird's legs barely missing his chest as it whizzed by him.

"Damn it!" Tokoyami cursed, sounding frustrated at how things were going. "Stand still, Hazani!"

The bird launched himself at the dragon. He extended out a fist, but this time, Kinus took the chance to counter. He easily sidestepped Tokoyami's attack, and grabbed the bird's outstretched hand. Using Tokoyami's own momentum against him, the bird found the world rotating around him as he was sent head over heels before his back came crashing on the rubber mat with a firm thud. Kinus climbed on top of him, using his own weight as leverage. The dragon pressed his hand on the bird's neck.

Both Kinus and Tokoyami were out of breath, but it was clear who won the impromptu sparring match.

It was a fight that involved Kinus not even throwing a single punch.

"Like I said," Kinus said in between pants of breath, "not bad, Tokoyami, not bad at all."

The bird let out a defeated huff in response. Kinus got off the bird and extended a hand to help him off the floor. Tokoyami gratefully took it, pulling himself up to a standing position. "So," the bird said, looking at Kinus, "how'd I do?"

"Well," the dragon began, "considering you didn't actually hit me that would mean you…"

The bird quickly struck out his hand. This time however, he successfully caught the dragon off guard and ended up hitting him square in the face. The dragon reeled back, grabbing his maw in protest. "Ow!" Kinus cried out, briefly seeing stars. "What the hell was that for?" He gingerly held his nose, checking if it was bleeding or something.

"I just wanted to wipe that smug smile off your face," he teased.

"That was amazing, you two," came a voice from behind them.

The two boys turned around to find Shoji walking up to them. The boy had a towel wrapped around his neck and was using one of his free hands to dry the sweat from his forehead.

"Oh, hey, Shoji," Kinus replied, waving at the boy. "I didn't know you were watching."

"How could I not?" he asked rhetorically. "It was like you two were already competing in the sports festival or something." The boy looked around and took note of the other students who had stopped what they were doing and was visibly gazing at their direction. "From the way the others are looking at you two, I'm not alone in that sentiment."

"Heh," Tokoyami huffed. "I could have done better."

"You did fine," Kinus waved a dismissive hand at him.

"I wasn't able to land a single hit on you."

Kinus looked at the bird seriously. "That's because you were a bit predictable, Tokoyami." Then the dragon's brow scrunched up. "Well no, that's a bit harsh. I'd say...rough around the edges."

The bird brow rose. "What do you mean?"

"You don't fight often, do you? Like close quarters, that is."

Tokoyami nodded, listening intently. "Admittedly, Dark Shadow does most of the fighting."

"Exactly." Kinus walked over to his pack and took out a towel. He then proceeded to wipe the sweat that was dripping from his forehead. "You rely mostly on your Quirk. There's nothing wrong with that. You have a very strong Quirk. Dark Shadow is very dependable after all."

"I agree with Hazani," Shoji commented. "I still remember what you did back in All Might's class. That was amazing, Tokoyami."

The boy smiled in response. "Thank you, Shoji." He directed his attention back to Kinus who was taking a drink from his water bottle. "But I suppose you're going somewhere with this."

"The point I'm trying to make is, some people have great Quirks. They can do amazing things and be seemingly unstoppable with their powers. That's mainly because they've had it since the day they were born," Kinus said. He put the bottle back into his bag. He then continued, saying, "but that's the thing, they've had it since they were born. They don't know what it's like to be Quirkless, in a sense. They tend to rely on their Quirks with the notion that they'll always have it, or in this case, always fighting with it. If you take away someone's Quirk, they're left with their inherent skills and abilities. From our brief skirmish with each other, it's obvious that you don't fight one on one often. You have a tendency to leave yourself wide open and you're also a bit...rigid. You need to be lighter on your feet."

Tokoyami closed his eyes and sighed, letting the dragon's words sink into him.

It was at that moment that Kinus felt guilt wash over him. "Tokoyami, I didn't mean to…"

The bird raised a hand to stop the dragon from apologizing. "It's fine, Hazani." The boy's eyes opened and he smiled at him. "This is why I asked you for training advice."

"If you guys need an extra hand or two for training," Shoji smiled at the two of them, "I'm down to help you guys out."

Kinus smiled. "Thanks, Shoji. I appreciate the help."

Time seemingly dilated itself as the students of U.A. focused on honing their skills to a razor sharp edge. Everyone fell into a sort of rhythmic trance as the days went by. It was studying in the morning with the typical school hustle, but then when afternoon rolled around, everyone went out to do their respective training regimes. Kinus spent the rest of the day training by himself or was sparring with Tokoyami. The bird was a quick learner, as Kinus found out. Their constant training sessions with one another was beginning to have its effect on the bird and Kinus figured that Tokoyami was well on his way on becoming capable in hand to hand combat.

The two were at USJ and Kinus was occupied with swinging away at an imaginary foe whilst Tokoyami was taking a rest on one of the benches. They had just finished sparring for the afternoon. The bird helped himself to a bottle of water as he watched Kinus. The dragon was twirling around, swinging a dagger in one hand, and a hammer in the other. The swoosh of the blade cutting into the air was subtle but audible, and wasn't lost amidst the sounds of explosions that Bakugo was making at the Ruins Zone.

"How come you know this stuff?" Tokoyami voiced out, resting his back on the bench.

Kinus spun around, slashing wildly, yet perfectly calculated before ending in a flourish by throwing the dagger straight at a tree. It impaled itself perfectly into the bark of wood, and Kinus held the pose for a brief moment before letting himself relax. "Know what?" he asked, glancing at the bird.

"These different weapon styles. Who taught you all of this?" Tokoyami asked.

"My mentor did," Kinus answered. The dragon stuck out his hand and the impaled dagger shook. A few seconds later, it shot back, stopping gently into the open palm of the dragon. "Well him and my mother."

Tokoyami raised a brow. "Your mother?" Then he paused for a moment. "Oh, that's right, she's a police officer."

Kinus smiled. "She's the proactive type. Even before I was serious in becoming a hero she taught me the basics of fighting." The dragon tossed the dagger and hammer in his hand into the fountain. It landed with a loud splash, before resting on the bottom. "She figured that it was best for her son to know how to fight in case a situation happened where I needed it, self defense and all that. It only served as a strong foundation when I started training to be a hero."

"That's where your mentor comes in," Tokoyami said.

"Yeah...My father wanted to personally teach me but…" The dragon paused for a bit, a flash of emotion appearing briefly in his eyes. "Yeah...things happened, and so my mentor took over." Kinus smiled, the dip in his mood disappearing as quickly as it appeared. "He taught me everything I know in regards to weapons."

Kinus stretched out his hand and the water from the nearby fountain floated over to him. In a few seconds his trusty dragonic halberd froze before him. The dragon grabbed it, and spun the object around like a baton. The audible whoosh of the bladed edge pierced through the air.

"Why the halberd?" Tokoyami asked as he glanced at the weapon the dragon held. It was probably the first time Tokoyami had a chance to properly look at the weapon. It had a pointed sharp end to allow for stabbing, an axe head on one side for slashes, and finally a warhammer like flat surface on the other for complete straight up smashing. It was a fairly multifaceted weapon.

"My dad," Kinus answered solemnly. "I based the design off of my dad's personal weapon." Upon seeing the puzzled expression on the bird's face, the dragon continued, "he was a pro hero, you see. He fought crime with a weapon just like this. He was my main inspiration in becoming a pro hero."

Tokoyami noted the tense the dragon was using when he answered the statement. "I see," the bird answered, unsure if this was a touchy subject for the dragon or not.

"It's fine, Tokoyami. It's been a long time now," Kinus answered. There was a bit of a longing tone from the dragon's voice.

Tokoyami reached out and placed a comforting hand on the dragon's shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss," he added. "I get that he was a really important figure for you. What was he like?"

"He was," Kinus answered. "I don't remember much honestly. He died when I was young. I was at that age where I was old enough to remember things, but still too young to understand what was going on." The dragon glanced up at the skies, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he thought back to his father. "I remember him coming home, and he would tell me stories of his hero work. He'd tell me that his job was important, and then preached to me that like him, I should always do the right thing. He told me that he became a hero because he wanted to subdue villains and give them the second chance at doing the right thing." The dragon snorted. "It's a bit cheesy, I know, but hearing that as a kid? It meant like the world to me. It sounded so cool." Kinus lightly chuckled. "I looked up to my dad. He was an upstanding guy, super nice, always did the right thing, and was overall a pretty good pro hero. He wasn't famous like All Might is, but to me, he was the best there was. But then…"

Tokoyami remained quiet, letting the dragon continue.

Kinus looked somber for a brief moment. "...then one day..." The dragon paused, letting out a deep sigh. "I have trouble remembering what exactly happened that day. I think I was with a friend...or was it a family friend? I'm not sure. The point is, I was with someone and we were heading to a park or something. Then, a commotion happened nearby and…" Kinus shook his head. Remembering the memory was like looking into a fogged up glass. Hazy images were all he could remember and blurry faces and places. "I don't really know...just that my dad arrived and he told me it wasn't safe anymore. He tried to get me to safety when we got blown off by an explosion of sorts. When I came to, I was in the hospital and...well...my mom was there and...my dad wasn't."

The bird remained quiet, opting instead to just offer support to the dragon by gently squeezing his hand on Kinus's shoulder. "I'm sure he was a great hero."

Kinus nodded. "Ever since that day, I made it a personal goal of mine to be just like him. To be a hero that saves lives, much like how he saved me, and give people the second chance they deserve. I trained everyday to really get a firm grip on my Quirk, and then I tried my luck at U.A." He smiled at Tokoyami, the gloominess from the dragon's eyes fading and was going back to its familiar perky self. "That's why I'm here." Kinus let out a sigh, looking down at the halberd he held in his hand. "It's one of the reasons why I want to win the sports festival," he added. "I want to make my father proud." Then, as if to break up the somewhat serious conversation they were having, the dragon let out a light chuckle. "This all sounds so corny, I'm sorry."

The bird blinked, surprised at the dragon's sudden outburst. "No, it's not," Tokoyami countered. "Trying to keep your father's ideals is a good thing."

That was when Dark Shadow appeared, floating next to Tokoyami. "I don't say this often, dragon boy, but you're alright in my book."

"Thanks, Dark Shadow." Kinus smiled. His expression then turned somewhat serious. "If there's one thing I only regret, is that I wish I could have saved Blur."

The bird looked a bit surprised. "Even if he was trying to kill you?"

"Hero work is all about saving people's lives, right? That shouldn't just be exclusive to civilians. Heroes, villians? We're all just people," the dragon answered. "That's what my father taught me."

"You shouldn't be blaming yourself for what happened to Blur. It's not like he gave you a choice."

The dragon shook his head. "I'm not." He looked at Tokoyami. "I just wish I could have done better."

Tokoyami smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well then, all the more reason for you to need to win the Sports Festival. If you win, you get one step closer to landing a good hero agency."

Kinus chuckled. "I suppose that's one way of putting it." He then leaned back on the chair.

Tokoyami's eyes glanced over to Kinus's weapon and he found himself cocking his head towards the side, a thought crossing his mind. "Is it hard to learn how to use a weapon?"

Dark Shadow extended himself towards the halberd and held it in his shadowy hands. "I'm sure it's not that hard. It's just swish, swish, stab, right?"

Kinus chuckled. "Well, technically, yeah. But remember that we're not fighting to kil. You'll be using weapons to subdue opponents. My mentor taught me how to fight in a manner that my opponents would not be injured fatally unless I meant to."

"I take it that requires finer self control, especially for a big weapon like your lance?"

The dragon nodded. "Pretty much. It's the same way how someone like All Might can punch villains head on on and not kill them in an instant, given how absurdly powerful he is. Besides, I don't exactly want to be swinging this around and accidentally chop someone's head off. Or stab someone, for example." At the mention of the last statement, the two boys looked at one another knowingly. "Yeah…so no fatal wounds is what you'll be taught most importantly. Maybe you can join an agency of a pro hero who can give you some pointers."

Tokoyami nodded, then said, "Can you give me an introductory lesson then?"

Kinus blinked. "An introductory lesson?"

The bird nodded. "I've always had a passing interest in using swords."

The dragon shook his head and smiled sheepishly. "I don't think I'm qualified enough to teach you this one, Tokoyami. You're much better off asking a professional instructor to be your mentor."

Tokoyami visibly frowned. Kinus swore the bird was even pouting at him, but maybe he was just misreading the bird's expression. Dark Shadow rested on the bird's shoulder. "Come on, dragon boy. I'm sure you can teach Tokoyami here a thing or two. You're doing well as a teacher. I'm surprised you actually managed to teach him how to take a punch!"

"He's a quick learner," Kinus answered. His eyes turned to Tokoyami, and sighed. How could he say no to him? "Alright, fine. I suppose I can teach you a thing or two. But if you're really serious about this, you'd have to ask a professional because I'm definitely not qualified to teach you."

"That's fine. Thanks, Hazani."

The dragonic halberd he held in his hand melted back into liquid and floated weightlessly in front of them. "So, what sword are we looking for here?"

"Katana."

"Culturally appropriate," Kinus remarked. The water separated and formed two blade hilts. The blade of the katana extended outwards and in a few moments froze itself solid. "Don't worry. It's dull," Kinus added, tapping his hands on the blade. "I'd rather we not have any accidents here."

The bird nodded. "Understandable."

"So," Kinus handed one of the katanas to Tokoyami who took it appreciatively. "Do you know how to at least use one of these?"

Tokoyami smiled. "I've seen my fair share of old school samurai movies." He took the blade and held it firmly in his hands. He opted to make a slash before holding a pose becoming of a samurai.

Kinus nodded. "That's actually not that bad. I admit, I'm not really that well versed in katana wielding, but I can teach you some general things about it. The one thing you have to understand is that just like our quirks it's a part of your body, like an extra limb." The dragon held the katana in his hand, trying to get himself acquainted with the weight. "So when you move, you have to use the weight as an advantage, instead of a disadvantage." The dragon slashed at an imaginary foe, using the weight of the sword to carry his momentum as he spun around. "Use your reach for long range pokes, and keep enemies at bay."

The bird followed his notion, a smile tugging at the corner of the bird's lips. The two playfully slashed at each other, the clang of the two frozen objects echoing in the park as the blunt objects collided with one another.

The two were so caught up that they didn't realize that a few of their classmates had passed by. "So you two are now moving to sword fighting?"

Kinus stopped what he was doing and turned around. Shoji was walking up to them, and was accompanied by Ashido and Uraraka. "Tokoyami wanted to try his hand at wielding a sword. I decided to humor him."

"I think it suits you, Tokoyami," Ashido commented cheerfully.

"Thank you, Ashido. I'm now heavily considering in picking this up as part of my skill set," Tokoyami said, eyeing the katana he wielded in his hands.

"How's the training going, Uraraka?" Kinus asked, looking at the girl.

She just sighed in response. "Exhausting. I don't think I've trained this hard in my entire life. But it definitely feels rewarding, that's for sure."

"The sports fest is right around the corner, after all," Ashido added. "Are you guys excited?" she asked, idly swaying back and forth.

"A little bit excited, a little bit nervous, you know, that sort of thing," Kinus answered. "You can never be too confident."

"Unless you're as headstrong as Bakugo," Tokoyami replied in jest.

The five students all chuckled to themselves in response to it. That was when Ashido clapped her hands. "You know what, why don't we go out to eat? A celebration of sorts of us training hard today. What do you guys say?"

Kinus smiled. He liked the sound of that.

"Okay, you guys," Kinus said, standing in front of the class. "As Class Secretary, Iida has tasked me in managing the forms for the Support Items Requisition. Please fill in these forms if you need a support item."

Kirishima passed by and curiously took one. "What exactly is this form for?" he asked, staring at the official looking piece of paper in front of him.

"It's for the Sports Fest, Kirishima," Yaoyorozu answered. "Students from the hero course aren't allowed to use support items, unlike the other students. However, you are allowed to fill out a form requesting for a particular support item you plan on using and will be subject for approval by the teachers. It can't be something that makes your Quirk better than what it is though."

"Are we allowed to request for costumes then?" Mineta asked.

"No, hero costumes aren't allowed either," Yaoyorozu added.

"Well that sucks…"

At the end of the session, Kinus only managed to get four filled in forms. They were namely Aoyama, for his naval laser, Sato, for some sweets to activate his Quirk, and then himself, for his Hydro Pack. He needed it because without it, he might as well have been fighting Quirkless out in the field. To his surprise, the last one was from Tokoyami.

"A choker?" he asked, looking at the piece of paper he held in his hand. "Is this...a joke?" he asked, unsure if he should be smiling or not.

"I'm serious," Tokoyami answered, and then motioned to the red choker he was wearing. "I need this."

The dragon stared at the bird for a brief moment, and then just shrugged. "Okay then…" He walked over the class representative who was reading a book at his desk. "Here you go, Iida," the dragon said, handing it over to the class president.

The boy took it happily. "Thank you, Hazani. I'll have this sent over to Mr. Aizawa immediately."

The dragon walked over to his seat, and Tokoyami turned his attention towards him. "I got a question for you."

"Yeah, what's up?"

"What would you do if the teachers didn't allow you to use your Hydro Pack? How would that affect your performance in the Sports Fest?" Tokoyami asked.

The dragon's brow furrowed. "I'd be screwed."

Midoriya, who was seated in front of Kinus, turned his head to join in on the conversation. "Really? That bad?" In his hand was his personal notebook.

"Well, Midoriya, unlike the majority of everyone else in this room, I need that item to make my Quirk work," the dragon flatly answered. "If I don't have it, I might as well be fighting Quirkless."

Midoriya's expression visibly dipped. "Being Quirkless isn't that bad."

"True, but if you're fighting against people who can literally blow you away, like Bakugo for example, it's a…" The dragon shrugged. "You get what I mean. My Quirk isn't as strong as Todoroki's."

"You should have more confidence in yourself, Hazani." Kinus turned his head to find Yaoyoruzu leaning in. "You did beat Todoroki after all in that training exercise."

"Wait, what?" Midoriya asked. "When did that happen?"

"Remember that class we had where you fought Bakugo, and you got knocked out? Tokoyami asked, trying to jog Midoriya's brain. The lightbulb atop the green haired boy's face lit up. "Yeah, that one. Hazani went up against Todoroki and won."

"Seriously?!" Midoriya asked, sounding ecstatic.

"Yes, he did."

The four students turned their head to see Todoroki looking at them. The boys eyes lingered then focused on Midoriya and Kinus. "But I don't plan on letting that happen again. I have no intention of losing."

Kinus gulped. "Duly noted," the dragon replied.

While he never really had any problems with Todoroki, there was something about the boy that always intimidated him. Maybe it was the scar, or perhaps the way the boy carried himself. Whatever it was, it permeated his demeanor and actions, and told Kinus that it was probably for the best to not get in the boy's way. Unfortunately however, if he was to proceed well into the Sports Fest, there'd be a point where they may have to fight each other. The dragon wasn't looking forward to that encounter.

Thoughts on the different possible matchups buzzed through Kinus's mind well into the afternoon and even as they went home for the day. He began to strategically calculate and see what his chances of winning were, if he were up against his fellow classmates. The dragon felt a bit bad. These were his friends, and the idea of punching, kicking and ultimately smacking them around with his dragonic halberd wasn't something he looked forward to. But this was a competition, so he inevitably had to put his feelings for them to the side.

The boy mentally created a list of individuals who would give him a problem if he were to fight them one on one. Naturally, the top two people were Bakugo and Todoroki. Kinus knew himself well enough that his Quirk, and himself, were weak to fire. The dragon let out a frustrated sigh. He needed a game plan against those two, or else he wasn't going to stand a chance against them.

"You okay?" Tokoyami asked. The two of them were walking home, the sky being painted a vibrant orange glow as the sun set on the horizon. "You've been quiet for a while now."

"I've just been thinking," Kinus remarked. "I just realized that there's a possibility that we may end up fighting each other in the Sports Fest."

"You only figured that out now?" Tokoyami asked flatly.

Kinus chuckled. "I'm going to have to figure out how to beat everyone…" He then glanced at Tokoyami. "Even you."

The bird smirked. "I'd like to see you try, Hazani."

"I taught you everything you know."

"Well not everything," Tokoyami answered confidently. "Dark Shadow and I have been practicing in our spare time after all." He then gave Kinus a sly look. "I've already thought of ways to beat you. The student has to beat the teacher."

The two glanced at each other for a brief moment, before breaking into laughter, enjoying each other's company. After a few moments, they both regained their composure and it was Tokoyami who first spoke. "But seriously though, Hazani," the bird looked at him, his tone of voice becoming more firm. "Can you promise me one thing?"

"Yeah?"

"If we ever meet each other in the one on one matches, I want you to promise me." The bird's eyes narrowed. "I want you to promise that you'll fight me to the best of your abilities."

Kinus stopped in his tracks, sensing the seriousness in the bird's request. The dragon faced Tokoyami fully and he could see that there was a fire burning in the bird's eyes. Tokoyami's resolve was astounding. It actually confused the boy as to why he was being challenged all of a sudden, and from his friend no less. "Just one thing," Kinus said, "what brought this on? Did I make you angry or something?"

Tokoyami shook his head. "No, it's not that, Hazani. I'm not challenging you out of spite, or malice, you can be sure of that." The bird smiled, and began to continue walking forward, Kinus following alongside him. "You must understand, I respect you, Hazani. Ever since meeting you, I've seen you do amazing things." Kinus's raised brow prompted the boy to continue, saying, "first was the Entrance Exam. You saved my life." Tokoyami smiled. "Then there was your fight with Todoroki. You went up against, admittedly, the strongest in the class, and managed to outlast him. I saw it with my own eyes. Then there was USJ." The bird looked at him. "Hearing, and seeing these feats you've accomplished in such a short amount of time, makes me question if I'm even worthy enough of standing next to you."

Kinus felt guilty. "Tokoyami…I...I didn't mean to make you feel like this."

The bird shook his head. "It's not your fault, Hazani, far from it. I see your level of skill as something I can achieve. A milestone I can reach. That's why I asked you to train me." The boy smiled at him. "Ultimately, I want to beat you. To prove to myself that I can do this. I can be a capable hero. I want to be just as good, if not, even better than you. I hope you can understand that."

A brief moment of silence hung in the air as the two friends looked at each other. "Alright," Kinus answered a few moments later, breaking the ice. "I promise then. I promise to fight you with everything I've got."

Tokoyami smile. "Thank you."

"Just don't lose before our fight, got it?"

The bird smirked at him. "That goes for you too, you know."

Day broke.

The sun was shining brightly against the clear blue skies, its rays illuminating the streets below. Kinus woke up that day, feeling refreshed, relaxed, and most importantly, ready for the sports festival. The dragon ate breakfast with a renewed vigor, making sure to get himself a nice helping of food to prepare him for the arduous day ahead. Anticipation electrified the air and the news outlets were buzzing with excitement about the oncoming Sports Festival.

"...the police are still looking for the dubbed Musutafu Bomber, who was responsible for the recent string of explosions a few days ago. If you have any information in regards to the criminal at large, please do not hesitate to call the tip hotline of the police." The news segment changed and flashed a picture of U.A. as well as the U.A. Sports Festival Stadium. The newscaster smiled and then said, "And now for something more uplifting, it's that time of the year again, folks! Today's the one and only Sports Festival! The time of the year where we get to see aspiring heroes show their might as they compete to be number one!" A picture appeared in the corner, showing a reporter. "We now move to our reporter who's live on the scene!"

"Are you nervous?"

Kinus turned his head to see Ruby walking up to him. The dragon shrugged. "A bit," the dragon answered.

The red dragoness smiled and pinched her son's cheek. "You'll do fine. I know you can do this."

"Do you expect me to win?" Kinus asked curiously.

"Of course! What kind of mother would I be to wish my son to lose?" Ruby answered confidently. Her expression then softened. "But really, Kinus, whatever happens, I just want you to know that I'll be rooting for you every step of the way." She briefly turned her head to look at the small family picture frame they had on a table. "You're father will be rooting for you too. He'll be proud of you, son."

The dragon felt his heart swell. "Thanks, mom." He stood up and pulled his mother into a tight hug. "I'll make you guys proud."

"That's my boy."

It was a few moments later when Ruby and Kinus were pulling up to the curb on the street. Before them was the entrance to U.A. and it was filled with a crowd of people, one by one being scanned by the security personnel that were aiding U.A. for the school event. "Are you working here today in the stadium, Mom?" Kinus asked.

Ruby shook her head. "Unfortunately, I'll have to be at the station today, having to deal with some paperworks. But I think a few of my colleagues have managed to organize it where we can watch the competition when it happens." She smiled and gave his son a peck on the cheek. "Good luck out there! I love you."

"I love you too."

Kinus climbed out of the car and eventually waved goodbye as his mother drove off towards the city. The dragon took a deep breath, and then started walking into the entrance of U.A.

He had a feeling that today, was going to be a long day.

Security was tight, both literally and metaphorically. The amount of people that were falling in line was astounding. Kinus had never seen so many different people from various walks of life converge in one location. There were families together with their kids waiting in line patiently to get in. There were groups of teenagers who were busy chatting with one another and taking photos with their phones. There were even businessmen who literally looked like they just stepped out of a meeting to personally be here for the Sports Festival. Then there was the press. It seemed like everyone was there as the line for security was crazy.

"I've never seen so many people in my entire life…"

Kinus turned his head to see none other than Midoriya walking forward, taking in the entire environment. "Tell me about it," Kinus remarked.

The green haired boy looked forward and smiled upon seeing a fellow classmate. "Hazani!"

The dragon waved as Midoriya walked up to him. The two boys then continued forward, skipping past the long lines and entering through the space dedicated specifically for the students of U.A. Security personnel scanned through them, checking their belongings for anything out of the ordinary, as well as giving them a quick XRay scan even. Once they were cleared for security, they were led forward. "I feel like this security is tighter than in the airports!"

"It has to be," Midoriya answered. "We did just get attacked by villains you know."

"True," Kinus replied. "But hey, at least we won't have that happening to us this time!" he said optimistically.

"I sure hope so," Midoriya replied sounding a bit wary.

"Are you nervous?" the dragon asked as the two kept walking.

"For the Sports Festival?" The dragon nodded, prompting Midoriya to continue, "I am." Midoriya clenched his fist, looking determined. "I can't lose. This is my chance to prove myself."

Kinus noted there was a certain fire in the boy's eyes. While the dragon could understand where Midoriya's motivations were coming from, he felt that there was something more. Midoriya looked like he was ready to give it his all.

Kinus tapped the boy in the back. "Relax. You've got this," he remarked.

The boy laughed sheepishly. "Thanks, Hazani. How about you?"

"A bit nervous," he answered. "Aside from my mom, the whole world will be watching so I'd rather not make a fool of myself," he answered, offering a grin to the boy. Then a stray thought entered the dragon's head. He remembered what Nedzu had told him a few weeks ago. "Hell, even the principal is looking forward to what I can do."

Midoriya cocked his head to the side. "The Principal? Principal Nedzu? Why?"

Kinus chuckled. "It was brought up when I was being asked about USJ when that happened. It was a thing," he said, waving a dismissive hand at the boy.

Midoriya nodded. "Looks like we all have to prove something today."

"True. Let's do our best."

The two students made a beeline to their destination, and before long, arrived at the side entrance of the stadium, designated for students and other authorized personnel. "Over here, Hazani," Midoriya said, calling over the dragon. He was pointing to a sign next to a door. It was aptly labelled as the waiting room for Class 1A. Upon entering, they were greeted by familiar faces.

"Ah, Midoriya! Hazani! Glad to see you two are here," Iida said, being the first to meet them at the door. "Hazani, I need to talk to you."

"Yeah?" Kinus replied, placing his belongings into a designated locker.

"Here you go." Iida handed him a piece of paper. It had his name on it, as well as a few personal details. "That's your Support Item Clearance Form. Hand it over to the Support Items Armory so they can give you your Hydro Pack. Sato and Aoyama have already taken theirs." Iida motioned to one of the boys mentioned. Kinus could see Aoyama was busy posing with his Naval Laser, asking the others what pose he should do when the cameras focused on him. The dragon just smiled to himself.

Kinus took the form appreciatively. "Thank you, Mr. President!"

"Happy to help," Iida replied.

The dragon turned to Midoriya, who was now also placing his things into a nearby locker. "I'll catch you later, alright? I have to get this."

Midoriya nodded. "Just be sure to get back here fast. You don't want to be late."

Finding the Armory wasn't that hard, thankfully enough. There were signs posted all over the hall, and whenever Kinus felt he was getting a bit lost, there was a person that passed by that was helpful to point him toward the right direction. Before long, he arrived at his destination. It was a neatly cut hole in the wall, serving as a divider of sorts, with a glass front and steel bars behind it. There was a person manning the station, and Kinus peered in, seeing various items locked in steel cages. U.A. truly wasn't kidding about security.

"Oh hello there," the person called out, seeing the dragon. "What can I help you with?"

"I'm here for my support item," Kinus answered, slipping the piece of paper through the open section in the glass.

The personnel took the paper, and it was only then that Kinus realized that it was a dragon, much like him. He had striking red scales that were a stark contrast against the gray U.A. staff outfit he was wearing. Kinus froze, his entire body seemingly paralyzed. His felt his heart jump in his chest, and his breathing somewhat quicken. For a split second, his mind thought he was looking at Blur.

"Kinus...Hazani…is that right? The Hydro Pack?" the red dragon asked. That was when he noticed the blue dragon having a somewhat fear stricken expression on his face. "Hey, are you okay? Hazani?"

Kinus blinked, his mind finally coming back down to reality. "I-I'm fine. S-sorry about that."

"You sure? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"It's uh…" Kinus took a deep breath, doing his best to control his shaking tone. "I'm fine. It's nothing. It's just nerves and all that." It sounded like a lame excuse but that was the best he could come up with. "But yes. I need the Hydro Pack."

"Well alright then." Kinus saw the dragon smile underneath the cap he was wearing. "I think I've seen it earlier. Give me a second." The red dragon then proceeded to head to the back. Kinus heard the jingle of keys as he unlocked one of the cabinets and proceeded to take out Kinus's own designated support item. "Here you go, Hazani, one Hydro Pack ready for the Sports Festival." The red dragon pressed a button and a section of the wall opened up, and the Hydro Pack gently slid out.

"Thanks!" Kinus answered.

"It's no problem," the red dragon answered. "Do your best out there!"

"I sure will!"

Kinus took off, taking a brief moment to stop to lock the support item securely on his back. He didn't want it to fall off when he happened to be doing acrobatics and he didn't want it to obstruct his movement. His mind however was still somewhat shaken. He thought for sure he had seen Blur again. The dragon shook his head, doing his best to bury the negative thoughts away. Blur was gone. That nightmare was over. Blur was the last thing he should be thinking about right now, and the dragon focused in getting his head into the game.

The straps finally clicking into place, Kinus smiled to himself and continued walking.

Before long, Kinus arrived back into the waiting room, and was greeted with a tense atmosphere. Everyone was there, and were all at various stages of anxiety. Sato was seated by the table, next to Tokoyami, and was nervously twiddling his thumbs. "I wonder what the first round's going to be."

"No matter what they prepared, we must persevere," the bird answered confidently.

"Right," Shoji added.

"Don't be too nervous, Sato," Kinus added, joining in on their conversation. He smiled at Tokoyami who looked happy to see him back into the fray. "Just focus on yourself and do your best," the dragon finished, standing next to Shoji.

The doors swung open once more, and everyone turned their heads to see Iida appear. "Everyone! Get your game faces on! We'll be entering the arena soon!"

The wave of anxiety that washed over everyone was visible. Midoriya let out a deep sigh, and Mineta did his best to stop himself from passing out. The rest were all quiet, clearly deep in thought. Kinus couldn't blame them. Even he felt the anxious. Showtime was just a few minutes away.

That was when a voice cut through the silence. "Midoriya."

"Hey Todoroki, what is it?"

Todoroki looked at Midoriya seriously. "Looking at things objectively, I think I'm stronger than you."

Midoriya was visibly taken aback by the sudden statement, as well as the rest of the class who were surprised at the sudden hostility. "Y-yeah…" the green haired boy replied meekly.

"However, you've got All Might in your corner helping you out," Todoroki continued. "I'm not here to pry about what's going on between you two. But know that I will beat you."

Kinus blinked, and the dragon briefly glanced at Tokoyami. It seemed that everyone had something to prove in the Sports Festival.

"Oh? Is the best in the class making a declaration of war?" Kaminari asked.

"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Kirishima asked, standing up and walking towards Todoroki. "Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden?" he placed a hand on Todoroki's shoulder. "Right before we're getting started too."

Todoroki shoved the boy's hand to the side. "We're not here to be each other's friends. Don't forget, this isn't a team effort." The boy then began to walk away, leaving Midoriya and the others.

But it would seem that Midoriya wasn't going to let the boy walk all over him. "Wait a second, Todoroki. I don't know what's going through your head, or why you think you need to tell me that you'll beat me. Yeah, it's obvious that you're better than me. I think you're more capable than most people. That's why you got in through recommendations alone."

Kirishima did his best to try and defuse the tense situation. "Midoriya, maybe you're being a bit too hard on yourself and us."

"No," Midoriya answered firmly. "He's right you students from the other courses are aiming for the top with everything they have. We're all going to have to fight to stand out." Midoriya looked at Todoroki with an equal fire in his eyes. "I'll be aiming for the top with everything I've got."

Kinus released a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. "I swear, this anticipation is going to be the death of me."

Shoji let out a light chuckle. "You're not alone in thinking that." The boy's eyes flickered towards Midoriya who seated himself into one of the vacant chairs. "But yeah, Midoriya's right. We have to aim for the top. We have to show the world what we're made of."

Kinus took a deep breath and smiled. "Let's put on a strong showing."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

Please don't forget to comment you guys! Feedback is always greatly appreciated.

Yep. We're finally here guys! The Sports Festival here! One of my all time favorite arcs in the entire show. Tournament arcs are always fun to watch because it's a great excuse to have your favorite characters beat each other up endlessly.

That said, yes, even Tokoyami is out to challenge Kinus! You can definitely understand where he's coming from though. Hearing and seeing the feats the dragon has achieved can definitely make you want to push yourself further.

Will Tokoyami win? Or will Kinus beat him?

Read on to find out about the exciting matchups that are about to happen. : 3


	13. Chapter 13 The Obstacle Course

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 13

The Obstacle Course

"Hey!" Present Mic's loud booming voice echoed throughout the entire stadium, modulated appropriately by the speakers scattered all over the area. "Get those cameras ready! The time is finally here. The Sports Festival is about to begin. I just have one question to ask: are you guys ready?!"

The loud cheers and shouts of the people in the stadium was deafening, almost reaching Present Mic's natural shouting voice.

"Let me hear you guys scream as our students make their way to the main stage!"

The amount of emotions swirling inside Kinus at that very moment was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. He could have probably won an acting award because he was displaying such a wide range of emotion in a short amount of time. He was anxious, nervous, excited, and above all, happy that he was here in this moment, right then and there. He could feel the anxious energy in the air as he saw his fellow classmates dealing with their own nervousness. Midoriya looked like he was about to faint. Bakugo looked like he was ready to explode and show the world what he was made off, and Tokoyami remained calm and collected, as he always seemed to be.

The dragon took a deep breath as the doors opened and they began to walk forward.

It was show time.

The students of Class 1A were greeted with loud cheers from the crowd of people as they stepped into the main field. This was the first time Kinus saw the interior of the stadium, and it amazed him at how many people were present. Rows upon rows of seats, each filled with a person waving and cheering them on as they made their way to the center. Naturally, Present Mic continued with his narration and introduced them to the reset of the audience.

"This first group are no strangers to the spotlight. You've heard of them. You've seen them on the news! The miraculous new stars who overcame enemy attacks with their hearts of steel! Ladies and gentlemen, Hero Course, Class 1A!" Music blared loudly on the screen as the large monitors displayed their class title.

Kinus looked forward and could see Midoriya looking flustered. It was an understandable reaction. The dragon himself was no stranger to stage fright. Competing in a large crowd like this would make anyone feel a bit nervous. He actually felt his hands shake slightly, and a brief quiver in his legs. The dragon did his best to smile and keep his composure. The last thing he want was to give the watchers the impression that he was weak.

Class 1A gathered at the center of the field, and was soon followed afterwards by the rest of the other classes. As they all converged in the center, Kinus felt the rest of the other students giving them the side-eye. It would seem that Bakugo's actions truly left an impression on the rest of the student body. That led to the dragon opting to stand close to Tokoyami and Kaminari as a precaution.

Their attention were directed to the small podium set up in front of them as the chief umpire for the Sports Festival made their presence known. It was none other than the R-Rated hero, Midnight. "Time for the player pledge!" she announced, cracking her whip to emphasize her point.

The dragon found himself looking at the hero's costume. To say that it accentuated her voluptuous physique and beautiful body would have been an understatement. "...and here I thought my costume was too form fitting," Kinus muttered to himself.

"She's R-Rated for a reason," Kaminari responded.

"Still, is that type of apparel appropriate for a high school game?" Tokoyami remarked.

As if on cue, the three boys turned their heads to see Mineta focused on the pro hero like his entire life depended on it. It would seem that some things never changed.

"Representing the students is Katsuki Bakugou of Class 1A."

Kinus blinked, glancing at Bakugou who began to walk forward. It seemed the rest of his classmates shared his level of confusion. How exactly did Bakugou get picked? Midoriya leaned in and voiced his question for him.

"How is it Kacchan?" Midoriya asked nervously.

It was Sero who answered his question. "Well, Bakugou DID finish first in the Entrance Exam."

The sound of someone sighing frustratedly grabbed Kinus's attention. A girl from a different course commented, "only in the Hero Course…" The dragon turned his attention forward. The antagonism against them was truly unreal.

"Oh, r-right," Midoriya mumbled, smiling apologetically.

"That girl obviously hates us," Sero muttered.

"And it's all Bakugo's fault," Kaminari added.

"Let's just hope that Bakugo doesn't say anything that'll make them hate us anymore than they do," Kinus replied, and all the boys nodded in agreement.

Everyone quieted down as the blonde haired boy stepped onto the stage and stood in front of the microphone.

"I pledge…" there was a brief pause, then he said, "that I'll be number one."

Everyone reacted as they naturally would. Bakugo was met with boos and rude comments from the rest of the other students at the field. The boy truly kicked the hornet's nest. Kinus would have hurt himself if he had tried any harder to facepalm at that very moment. It seemed that Bakugo truly was hell bent on making everyone his enemy, even if it meant dragging the rest of Class 1A along with him.

"It's not my fault the rest of you are just stepping stones to my victory," Bakugou callously announced, emphasizing his statement by giving everyone a thumbs down.

Kinus shook his head. He had to at least give the boy some credit. If there was anyone who had the bite to back up his bark, it was Bakugo. Still, this was only going to make things harder. With everyone seemingly viewing them as enemies now, the competition was going to be tough.

Midnight cleared her throat. "Without further ado, let's get started! The first game is what you'd call a qualifier." A large screen appeared behind her and began to rapidly cycle through the many events U.A. had in store for them. Words flashed across the screen faster than Kinus could comprehend them. Battle Royale, Heaven and Earth, The Floor is Lava, Hostage Rescue, and Tag Team were a few of the events the dragon managed to catch as the roulette spun. He swore he even saw Intelligence Quiz, Best Dance Crew, and shockingly enough, Cooking Battle at one point.

The roulette abruptly stopped and Midnight announced the chosen event. "Tada! The first event will be, the Obstacle Race! All classes will participate in this event. The course will be the outer circumference of this stadium, which is about four kilometers." She looked at each and everyone of the students, a devious smile on her lips. "As long as you stay on the course, your free to do whatever your heart desires!"

Then that meant only one thing. "We can use our Quirks…" Kinus muttered, looking at his fellow classmates. Or in this case, opponents. The dragon gulped, shaking slightly both with nervousness and anticipation. Everyone was going to start this off with a bang.

A few moments later, they all stood in front of the red arch designated to be the starting point, waiting for the three lights to go down that served as their countdown.

"We can do this guys!" Ashido cheered from behind.

"Let's show them what we're made of!" Sero added, doing his best to sound optimistic.

Kinus took a deep breath.

The lights began to count down.

The dragon's mind focused. He flexed his legs, and even his tail slightly. He wasn't a stranger to long runs. He did it whenever he was free during the evening.

The second light dimmed.

Everything seemingly quieted down, the cheering of the audience being drowned out. His eyes happened to glance at the many cameras that were pointed. He figured that one of them were probably feeding the live feed his mother must be watching at the police station. Kinus smiled to himself. "I'll make you guys proud!"

The final light turned off and Midnight's loud voiced echoed throughout the stadium. "START!"

Everyone began to rush forward, a stampede of students frantically running headlong into the obviously cramped tunnel. Kinus's body crashed into the other students, each of them trying to move forward in the small space. "Damn it!" he yelled. It was a tight squeeze. Voices cried out as others pushed forward, trying to get through. It was obvious that this was the first obstacle, a simple yet effective bottleneck.

He needed to think of something to do to get past this, and he needed to think fast.

But someone else was quicker on the draw.

A blast of cold wind swept through the tunnel, freezing the ground and the walls entirely. Only one person could have done this, and Kinus turned his head to see Todoroki running forward, jumping over the students who were desperately trying to free their frozen limbs that were now stuck to the ground.

The dragon grinned. The ice that paralyzed Kinus's legs melted away, and the dragon quickly sprinted forward. He vaulted over the other inconvenienced students, sprinting after the leader of the pack. Kinus wasn't the only one that managed to avoid the boy's cold Quirk however.

"Nice trick, Todoroki!" Yaoyorozu yelled, launching herself up in the air with a pole vault she created.

"I won't let you get away so easily!" Bakugo cried out, looking visibly pissed off than usual. He reared back and sent an explosion behind him, catapulting his body forward. "You icy hot bastard!"

Kinus looked forward and saw that Todoroki had frozen the entire track behind him, serving as an environmental obstacle. The dragon jumped, proceeding to manifest some blades onto the base of his rubber shoes. He landed back down the ground and quickly skated forward, dashing past the other students who were tripping over themselves as they tried to maintain their balance over the slippery surface. Kinus smiled. It was just like the Quirk Assessment Test all over again.

Kinus slalomed in and out, before eventually jumping up into the air and discarding the blades. He was back on solid ground, and was hot on the heels of the leader of the pack, Todoroki. A few paces ahead of him were Bakugo, Yaoyorozu, Tokoyami and to his surprise, Mineta. The boy was bouncing atop the grape colored balls that served as his Quirk, launching him forward in ever increasing speed.

"You think you're so cool, but I've outsmarted you! How pathetic, Todoroki!" Mineta shouted, sounding quite pleased with himself. "Take this! My special attack!"

Mineta was about to throw his balls at Todoroki when out of nowhere a metallic hand swiped at him, sending him tumbling towards the side

"Mineta!" Midoriya shouted from the back as the boy's flailing body passed him. "Are you okay?!"

Kinus's head snapped forward, glancing at the source of the sudden attack. Large hulking figures stood menacingly in front of them, mobilizing in a formation that clearly was meant to block them from going forward. Red mechanical eyes locked on each and every one of the students. The dragon huffed. "You guys again?" It was none other than the robots he had encountered back in the entrance exams.

Present Mic's voice blared over the speakers. "OH! Enemies have shown up out of nowhere! I bet we're in for a treat here. It's a Robo Inferno!"

The pro hero wasn't kidding. Kinus vividly remembered these guys. Not only were the one, two, and three point robots present, but their bigger, larger zero point robot brothers were also standing with them, red eyes targeted straight at the students. Dealing with one big robot was bad enough, a cluster of them was a different thing entirely.

"Seriously?! The hero course had to fight those?!" shouted one of the students, her tone filled with fear. It was clear that this was the first serious obstacle they had to overcome.

"So this is what the other students faced in their entrance exams?" Todoroki voiced out a few paces ahead of him, no hint of fear or worry in his tone whatsoever.

"Where does the school even get the funding for these things?" Kinus heard Yaoyorozu speak out from behind him. The dragon allowed himself to smile a little. She did have a good point.

Kinus took a breathe. Before, such a formidable, large foe that towered over him would have made the dragon pause for concern and evaluate his safety. But after everything that had happened at USJ? After fighting against someone like Blur?

This?

The dragon smirked. The robots were nothing more than a nuisance at this point. These guys were nothing compared to the pressure he had dealt with. He wasn't going to let anyone stop him.

Kinus was about to charge forward when large icy pillars jutted from the ground and wrapped itself around the hulking machines, rendering them frozen in place. Everyone marvelled at the spectacle and sheer power the boy had within him. The dragon always knew that Todoroki was strong. That was clear from the very beginning. But with how effortless he dispatched the robots, it only cemented it further that Todoroki truly was on a different level from all of them entirely.

"Dude, he stopped the robots!"

"Quick! We can get through between their legs!"

"Careful now!" Todoroki shouted as he ran forward. "I froze them while they were off their balance."

True enough, the frozen hunks of metal began to topple down right as Todoroki passed through them, effectively crashing down on the students who did their best to chase after him. The rough screeching of metal against metal echoed across the field as dust was kicked up by the debris. Everyone had to momentarily take a step back to take in the destructive chaos in front of them.

Present Mic's commentary chimed in. "That's Todoroki from Class 1A, pulling ahead to an early lead with a devastating display. Amazing! He's the one we should watch! It almost seems unfair. Thoughts?"

"His attack was both offensive and defensive," Aizawa answered, sounding less enthusiastic than his fellow host.

"No wonder he was led in through recommendations! He'd never even fought those robots before but they never stood a chance against his show stopping moves!"

As the dust began to settle in front of Kinus, more robots began to move forward, replacing their fallen brethren in a clear show of reinforcements. The dragon realized that he would actually have to put in some work if he ever intended to get past the blockade. His fellow competitors however were having varied reactions to the obstacle before them.

"HEY! There's someone trapped under that robot!"

"Do you think we should try and help them?"

"Are people seriously going to die here?!"

Amongst the fallen debris, metal scraping could be heard. Kinus saw a flash of movement before the metal place cracked wide open, and a frustrated Kirishima popped out. "I"M ALIVE!" he cried out enthusiastically. "Jeez, anyone but me would have been killed!"

Then, just at that moment, another person emerged amongst the debris. "I'LL SMASH THAT ICE GUY WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON HIM!" The boy was covered entirely in steel, almost mimicking Kirishima's own Quirk.

"How lucky are they," Kaminari added, watching the two boys run forward atop the robot's arms. "They don't have to worry about being crushed!"

Kinus took a moment to think. Todoroki had a sizable gap ahead of him. Aside from the boy with the steel Quirk and Kirishima, Bakugo, Tokoyami and even Sero were already making their way forward, making use of their respective Quirks to vault over the giant robot. He figured he needed to start moving or else he was going to be left behind.

Kinus charged forward, running as fast as his legs would carry him. Naturally, this took the attention of the robots. The other students behind him called out, telling him it was too dangerous, but he didn't pay them much heed. He knew he could handle himself. The dragon called forth his dragonic halberd, the frozen weapon materializing in his hand. The dragon then proceed to attack the metal obstacles with reckless abandon. Just like in the Entrance Exam, they were powerless in stopping his swings, falling one after the other. The dragon smiled proudly, he had no intention of losing out this early in the competition. As he crushed one of the robot's head with his halberd, he could hear Present Mic commentating on his performance.

"Class 1A's Kinus Hazani is charging forward, easily dispatching the robots that are desperately trying to block his path!"

Kinus smiled. He hoped that his mom was at least watching right now.

"But can Hazani stand up against this onslaught?!"

The dragon faced forward, realizing that one of the zero point robots were headed straight for him. This time, he knew what he needed to do. Taking hold of his dragonic halberd, he aimed for the robot's head and threw it straight forward, putting his entire back into it. The weapon whistled across the air, before impaling itself deeply in one of the robots red eyes. The attack proceeded to mess with the robot's targeting system, making it miss the dragon as it tried to swipe at him. Kinus used this to advantage, quickly bolting forward, past the giant robot's legs.

"DID YOU GUYS SEE THAT?!" Present Mic announced enthusiastically. "It seems that Todoroki isn't the only heavy hitter we have! Hazani isn't going to let anyone stop him as he races forward! The hits just keep on coming!"

Kinus ran forward, breaking into a sprint as the rest of the other robots were too preoccupied with the other racers. Kinus couldn't help but grin a little. He wasn't one to show off, but even he knew what he just did would have gotten him some audience viewers cheering for him. The dragon beamed and offered a thumbs up as he passed by a robot who served as an on site cameraman.

"Comments on your student's performance?" Present Mic asked over the speakers.

"Flashy, but it gets the job done," Aizawa answered.

"For those of you who thought the first obstacle was easy, let's see how you feel about the second one!"

Kinus's sprint slowed to a halt as he stood near the edge of the ground they were standing on. Everyone looked onward as they tried to take in the next trial they were suppose to overcome. Present Mic kindly informed them of what they were supposed to do.

"If you fall, you're out! If you want to move forward, you'll have to get creative! It's, THE FALL!"

A series of islands seemingly floated ahead of them, pillars of rock that jutted out from the inky black depths from below served as makeshift platforms. Kinus looked down and gulped. His eyes could see nothing but darkness from the abyss down below. He glanced ahead and saw a few of the students were crawling on the large ropes that served as the only connection between the islands. Even further, he could see something shine in the sunlight and he realized it was Todoroki. The boy was skating atop the ropes, easily reaching the end goal and moving to the next obstacle.

"I hope some employers are watching!"

Kinus turned his head to see a student practically jump off the cliff. Then, a grappling hook launched itself from the contraption strapped to her back, and the student was basically pulled towards the next island. Kinus watched as the girl cover a significant portion of the trial in such a short amount of time, and in such an effortless manner.

The dragon huffed. Competition was way too fierce.

But Kinus didn't waver. Everyone was bringing their A game. He needed to do it too. The dragon paused for a moment to think. He needed to figure out a way to cross in the fastest way possible. Using the ropes, much like the others, was an option, but crawling on it would lose him valuable time. Time he couldn't afford to waste. He looked up ahead and saw Shoji gliding through the air, and Aoyama was launching himself perpetually forward with his laser Quirk. Everyone was coming up with creative ways to get by. There had to be something he could do.

"Come on, Kinus, think!"

"So we're supposed to just use the ropes to cross?" commented one of the students behind him. "Oh man, I don't think I can do this. I'm afraid of heights."

"If only we could make a bridge…" the other student replied, lamenting his companion's plight.

The dragon's eyes widened, the gears in his head spinning. "That's it!"

Kinus walked over to the cliff's edge and mentally judged the distance. He needed to get this right or else his plan was going to fail. After getting a firm measurement in his head, the dragon stretched out his hand, water coming out of his pack and beginning to materialize itself in front of him. The other students beside him paused to look at what the dragon was doing and were surprised to find a ladder beginning to take shape. It was a ladder made out of ice. He would have opted for a wider plank, but the dragon worried it would use up too much water for his liking.

After a minute or so, Kinus took hold of it and dropped it to the ground. To his relief, the other end successfully rested near the edge of the next island. "YES!" The dragon froze it firmly to the floor, and stepped on it, judging its weight. It seemed sturdy enough to hold his figure. Kinus gulped and looked straight ahead. "Just don't look down, Kinus." The dragon began to move forward, focusing his balance and watching where he stepped. The last thing he wanted was to fall from this crazy idea. The dragon used his tail as a counterweight, shifting left and right as he took steps forward. He had to stop himself from looking down. The sheer view was beginning to give him vertigo.

Kinus was nearing the halfway point when he heard a sound that alerted him. The ladder was shaking slightly, and an ominous cracking could be heard. The dragon turned his head and saw the other students following after him, crossing the makeshift bridge.

"What the hell are you guys doing?!" he cried out. This thing was NOT going to hold.

"We wanted to cross too!" yelled out one of the students. "You don't have to be selfish!"

Kinus didn't have enough time to respond when the inevitable happened. The bridge began to gave way, and it visibly cracked in the middle. "DAMN IT!" Kinus yelled out, removing all pretense of being slow and just made a ran for it. The bridge wobbled comically before ultimately breaking itself in half. The students behind him fell down into the black abyss, screaming at the top of their lungs. Kinus lunged forward, reaching out his hand to grab the edge of the next island just in the nick time.

"That was WAY too close…" he muttered, hanging off the cliff edge. He was THAT close to losing.

"Come on, give me your hand."

Kinus looked up to see a familiar green haired fellow smiling at him. Anyone else would have left him behind to fend for himself.

"Thanks, Midoriya."

It was a few minutes or so later when Kinus cleared the trial. The dragon bolted onward, sprinting past the other competitors that were still trying to catch their breath. Kinus was wondering why no one had crossed the finish line yet, when his question was answered for him. A loud explosion followed by the spray of pink colorful smoke filled the air. Kinus watched as a student was comically sent flying through the air and land back down the ground in an unceremonious thud.

"Oh! That's going to leave a mark," Present Mic chimed in. "I told you guys to keep your eyes on the ground!"

"A minefield," Kinus concluded, watching the rest of the other students carefully traverse the open patch of land. It was the perfect final obstacle as it would force the leaders of the pack to slow down and would give people like him a chance to catch up. The dragon's mind raced. He needed a fast way to cross the field as fast as possible, but as equally careful as possible as to not hit any of the mines. He needed to make big strides to make up for the slow methodical process.

"I got it!"

Kinus used however much water he had left on his pack and began to form long solid poles of ice on his feet. The dragon propped himself upward, practically creating makeshift stilts. It took a moment for him to get his balance in order, but he eventually got it and pushed on. With the use of his Quirk to move the ice stilts, the dragon began to maneuver around the minefield and make progress.

Another explosion rocked the field, but this time it wasn't from any of the mines.

Kinus saw Bakugo rocket forward, sailing past the mines on the ground and easily catching up to Todoroki, before ultimately getting past the red haired boy.

"JUST LIKE THAT! We have a new student taking the lead! It's the kind of plot twist you expect in the final act! Bakugo is now fighting against Todoroki for first place! But the rest of the other students aren't going down without a fight. The rest of the pack is also speeding up."

Kinus turned his head and sure enough, it seemed that the rest of the students had made it to the final trial. The dragon picked up the pace, stepping forward as quickly as possible. He made it to the center of the field, walking past Shoji and Ojiro who were slowly navigating forward as well. He was about to reach Tokoyami who was being guided by Dark Shadow when all hell broke loose.

"What in the world?!" A large explosion rocked the entire field, the ground shaking violently. Kinus turned his head back to see a big puff of pink smoke cover the start of the trial, and from there a figure burst through it, flying through the air.

"INCREDIBLE! What just happened?! Whatever the case, Class 1A's Izuku Midoriya is suddenly in hot pursuit of first place."

Everyone was spurred on by Midoriya's flash of action. It was now or never. Kinus watched as Midoriya flipped in the air and slam the piece of shrapnel he was holding onto the ground. An explosion of pink smoke sent launched him forward, effectively creating a sizable gap between him, Todoroki and Bakugo.

That was when the two boys who had been fighting one another for first place, decided to focus on their new target. Bakugo rocketed forward, shouting at the top of his lungs. It was obvious to everyone that this upset was not what he wanted to happen. Meanwhile, Todoroki decided to just throw caution to the wind. The boy froze the path ahead of him, effectively rendering the mines underneath useless.

It would obviously help people like Kinus who were behind them, but the dragon could tell that they were the least of Todoroki's problem. Regardless, Kinus quickly took advantage of the sudden turn of events. He jumped off the stilts, and then forming ice skates frozen on the bottom of his shoes. The dragon landed on the iced ground, quickly skating forward to catch up to the leaders of the pack.

The rest of the students were hot on their heels, but Todoroki, Midoriya and Bakugo were too far ahead. Kinus shook his head. Aiming for first place was a lost cause now, but that didn't matter. He just needed to qualify to stay in the game. Kinus ran as fast as his tired legs would carry him. He was only trailing behind Sero, who was pulling himself forward with his tape.

The students broke through the dark tunnel that served as the entrance to the stadium, and Kinus was greeted to the sounds of cheering crowds. Clearing the finish line, the dragon flopped to the ground, tired, exhausted, but ultimately satisfied. Present Mic was talking on the microphone but Kinus didn't care at the moment. The only thing that mattered was that he was still in the running.

Present Mic's voice blared over the speakers, as the crowd continued to cheer on. "Let's hear some applause for all our competitors as we prepare the results!"

"Need some help?"

Kinus looked up to see Ojiro having his hand stretched out to him. The dragon smiled and grabbed hold of the boy's hand, pulling himself off the ground. "Thanks," he replied.

"You did great out there," Ojiro complimented him. "I could barely keep up with you guys. The competition is tough."

The dragon smiled sheepishly. "Don't mention it. Besides, what matters is that we all made it." Kinus paused for a brief moment. "We did, right?"

"I think so," Ojiro answered, looking around to check if the rest of Class 1A was there with them. It was still too hard to tell this early. "Regardless, it's safe to say we're moving onto the next round. Still, I can't believe it. Midoriya actually took first place!"

Kinus smiled. The two boys walked over to Midoriya who was being congratulated by the rest of his fellow classmates who were near him.

"Deku, that was amazing!" Uraraka cheered out, running over to the green haired boy.

"Oh, uh, thank you!" Midoriya answered, feeling a bit self conscious at the sudden attention directed towards him.

"No need to be shy, Midoriya," Kinus added, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "This is your moment to shine. That was some quick thinking on your part on using the explosion to push you forward."

The boy scratched his head, smiling proudly. "It was just a spur of the moment thing." His expression softened. "I was lucky that it all paid off."

Ojiro grinned. "Mind giving me some of that luck?"

The four of them laughed, just enjoying the moment together. Kinus turned his head and saw a few other students appearing from the tunnel. "Oh hey, it's Yaoyorozu!"

"Is that...who I think it is?" Ojiro cocked his head to the side.

"That's Mineta," Uraraka answered, rolling her eyes. "Some things just never change, I suppose."

"Hazani."

Kinus turned around and saw Tokoyami standing behind him.

"Here." The bird smiled at him, handing him a bottle of water. "You're looking a bit pale."

The dragon smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Tokoyami." The bird nodded, and proceeded to hand the rest of the bottles he had with him to the others. "They were handing this stuff out and I thought you guys could use a drink."

"Aw, thank you so much," Uraraka answered, and then began to drink from the bottle.

Kinus ended up emptying the entire bottle, and already, he could feel the exhaustion disappearing from his body. Even his scales began to glow that familiar healthy blue. "So," Kinus began, handing the empty bottle to the U.A. staff that was collecting them. "Did all of us make it?"

That was when Midnight's voice came on the speakers. "The first game for the first year's is finally over, and what game it was!"

Tokoyami stood next to Kinus. "We'll find out."

"Now let's take a quick look at the standings, shall we?" Midnight directed everyone's attention to the monitors, and the results began to play out. Each student's picture, name, and their position in the race flashed on screen. Naturally, Midoriya was first, followed by Todoroki and Bakugo. The list continued onwards and the dragon was pleasantly surprised to find Tokoyami landing at sixth place.

"Sixth place," Kinus remarked, turning his head to look at the bird, "congrats!"

"Thank you, Hazani. It seems our training sessions are beginning to bear fruit."

Not long after that, Kinus saw his own name and face flash on screen, with the large number eight right next to it. "Eighth place, huh?" The dragon smirked. "Mom is probably freaking out right now."

Eight wasn't bad. He was still in the top ten, and that meant a whole lot.

The results continued on, until finally, it reached the last one. "At forty second place, we have Yuga Aoyama from Class 1A," Midnight said, reading from the monitor. She then turned to face everyone. "Only the top forty two will advance to the next round. For those of you who failed the cut, don't worry. We've prepared other activities for you to shine." As the students who were knocked out of the competition began to exit the field, Midnight then continued, saying, "Now the real fun is about to begin. The chance to fully move yourselves into the limelight! Give it your best!"

The familiar roulette like slot machine appeared behind Midnight. The pro hero licked her lips and cracked her whip. "Let's see what we have in store for you next!" The roulette began to spin once again, going down the various lists of activities. Kinus took a deep breath, preparing himself for what was to come. Hide and Seek, and Quirk Dodgeball were just two of the many activities the roulette went over. Inevitably it stopped, and Kinus, along with everyone else, read the next challenge.

"Prepare yourselves for the Cavalry Battle!" Midnight announced, in tune with music being played on the speakers.

"Cavalry Battle?" Kaminari said, frowning. "I'm terrible at those!"

"It's not an individual event. I wonder how they'll split us up?" Asui added.

"Let me explain," Midnight began, turning everyone's attention to the monitor. "Participants can form teams of two to four people as they see fit. You're all familiar with this. It's the same rules as the playground game. However, the difference is that each player is assigned a point value based on their respective position in the obstacle course. A team's overall point value will be determined by its players. Simple, don't you think?" The screen then flashed, showing the positions of the race and their equivalent points. "Point assignment goes up by increments of five, starting from the bottom.. Forty second place will have five points, forty first is worth ten, and so and so forth. This however, doesn't apply to the first place contestant."

Kinus's brow rose. He turned his head towards Midoriya who was looking increasingly nervous.

"The first place point value," Midnight said, stopping for a second to allow for a dramatic pause. "Is worth TEN MILLION!"

Kinus blinked.

Did he hear that just right?

Judging from how all the color from Midoriya's face drained, it only confirmed that Kinus wasn't hearing things. If Midoriya's team was worth ten million, that meant that if someone took them down, they'd be set to move on to the next round. The devious glances from everyone else on the field told Kinus he wasn't alone in reaching this conclusion.

"That's right," Midnight added, "it's survival of the fittest, with a chance for those at the bottom to overthrow the top! Show us what Plus Ultra means!" Midnight waved her whip around, smiling proudly at the students. "Now then! I will explain the rules. The game itself will last fifteen minutes. Each team is worth the total of its members' points and the rider will wear a headband with that total on their forehead." A picture of All Might wearing a headband with a number on it visualized this point for them. "Get as many headbands as you can to raise your team's score. Stolen headbands must be worn from the neck up. One last thing, even if your headband gets stolen, or the rider falls, you're not out. You can keep playing until time's up! This is going to be a cruel fight as Quirks are fully allowed. But rules are rules. Make a team fall on purpose and I will slap you with a red card. You'll be disqualified!"

With the way she said the last statement, Kinus wondered if she actually wanted to do such a thing to a student.

Midnight clapped her hands and a timer appeared behind her. "You have fifteen minutes to build your team! I recommend you get started!"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Please don't forget to comment you guys! Feedback is always greatly appreciated.**

 **Wow. That chapter was long. XD I didn't exactly want to cut it because I didn't want to mess with the pacing. The Obstacle Course was such a fun yet long segment, I couldn't really find a place to neatly cut it, so that's why you have the big chapter you have now.**

 **Anyways, yes, Kinus managed to get into the Cavarly Battle! Would he partner up with Tokoyami? Or would he go with someone else? Let's see what happens, shall we? ; 3**


	14. Chapter 14 The Cavalry Battle

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 14

The Cavalry Battle

Kinus stood there in the middle of the field. "Okay, Kinus...you can do this…" The dragon looked around, scratching his chin thoughtfully. He had two ways to solve this problem. He either had to build a team of his own and hopefully succeed, or he could join a team of students he knew would have a high chance of winning. Both options were viable and had their own respective pros and cons.

The dragon opted to try the former.

Kinus went around, looking for a familiar face. It was a tough challenge. Majority of Class 1A seemed to have been busy crowding around Bakugo and was practically begging the boy to take them in as members for his team. The dragon didn't have to think of the reason why and continued looking.

That was when he spotted Tokoyami.

Kinus's face lit up. If there was anyone he knew he was compatible with, it was the black bird. "Tokoyami, do you want to..." But just as quickly as it formed, Kinus's hopes were crushed. The bird was being approached by Midoriya, and visibly looked like he was already agreeing to Midoriya's plan.

Dread began to creep up on the dragon's soul. This was bad. Everyone around him was quickly forming up and if he didn't find anyone fast, he was going be dealt a bad hand. That was the LAST THING he wanted right now. At this point, the dragon abandoned forming a team of his own. It was time for plan B, and that was to join a team that had a good range of Quirks.

Midoriya's team was out of the question for obvious reasons. The competition was already hard. He wasn't interested in making it any more harder. Bakugo had already selected his group of chosen members and the students who were fighting over him had now partnered up by themselves.

The boy tried to look around, but it would seem his team found him.

"Hazani."

The dragon felt a hand on his shoulder. Kinus turned around.

"Do you have a team yet?"

It was none other than Ojiro. The boy was smiling at him. The dragon shook his head in response. "Unfortunately, no."

The boy grinned. "Perfect! Do you want to team up? I'm still looking for teammates myself.

At the very least, he was teaming up with someone he was already familiar with. "Sure thing."

"That's great," Ojiro responded. "I'm sure we can work something out, afterall, we both know how each other operates."

"That's true, but we're still lacking. If we want to stand a chance in this competition, we need to have more people with us," Kinus answered, his mind beginning to analyze their situation.

"Who do you think we should have on the team?" Ojiro asked, looking around. "The rest of our classmates seem to have partnered up already. I'm lucky I still found you. I thought for sure you would have partnered up with Tokoyami already."

Kinus chuckled. "Yeah, well, Midoriya got to him. That and I'm not in the business of making things anymore harder for myself as it is." The dragon's tail coiled around him instinctively. "I wonder who else should we have."

That was when someone walked up to them.

"Hey," he voiced out.

Kinus and Ojiro turned their heads to see none other than a student from General Studies. The dragon recognized him as none other than the guy who declared war on them just a few weeks back. The boy ruffled his frizzy hair and looked back at the two of them with expectant eyes. "The name's Shinso. Are you guys interested in teaming up?"

Kinus and Ojiro glanced at each other. Was this the right call?

"Look, I know I declared war on you guys the other week, but it's clear that we need to put that aside for now. We're all trying to get to Top 16, right?" Shinso reasoned. Kinus had to agree, the boy had a point. "I already have someone with me." The boy pointed to a the other student standing next to him, who waved meekly back at them. There was something about the boy that was off to Kinus, but at the current moment, he couldn't put a finger on it.

"If you two team up with Shoda and I, I'm sure we can sail through this stage of the competition easily. What do you say?"

The two Class 1A students glanced at each other once again. Kinus's eyes darted briefly around them. It seemed that everyone was finalizing their teams. It would have been futile to try to find other stragglers around at this point in time. The dragon didn't like it, but admittedly, he had no other choice. If it was just him and Ojiro, it would have been too difficult for just the both of them. Teaming up seemed like the right thing to do.

Both he and Ojiro nodded. "Fine. We're in."

Shinso smiled gleefully. "Good."

It was then at that point that Kinus kind of just felt out of it. One moment, he was standing there, and then the next thing he knew, he felt...nothing. His body was standing on solid ground, yet his mind felt like it was falling off of a tall cliff, seemingly descending into an endless void of dark, inky black depths. Before Kinus could even realize what was going on, all sensations of the five senses seemingly lost connection with him.

The sounds of the stadium droned out into a silently deafening white noise. His vision of everything swirled into a murky, hazyview, giving him flashes of what looked like movement in front of his eyes.. It was like trying to understand abstract images brought to the forefront of his spinning mind. His sense of touch lost connection with his body.

Kinus felt like he was floating in an endless black void, hearing, seeing, tasting, and feeling nothing at all.

It was both calmly therapeutic, yet scarily unnerving. His body felt tired, his eyes drooping sleepily, yet his mind was oddly wide awake. Any thought that crossed the dragon's mind was buzzed out of existence, in favor of this dull, static voice that told him what to do, and where to go, yet he couldn't process the words into things that made sense to him. It was like everything just stopped making sense, and yet made sense both at the same time. If this was what being on drugs was like, the dragon wasn't sure if he liked this at all or not.

But just as quickly as it happened, it immediately ended.

The loud booming sound of Present Mic's voice brought Kinus back down to reality.

"In 3rd place is Team TetsuTetsu...wait, what?! It's Team Shinso! When did they come back from the dead?"

"What in the world just happened?" Kinus muttered out, feeling slightly dazed. His legs felt like jelly, and he was slightly disoriented. "Am I hearing things right? Are we in third place?" Questions buzzed in Kinus's head faster than he could answer them. It was like his mind could move again. He could finally think. He could finally hear himself think. His body felt like his again. "How in the world are we in third place?" the dragon cried out, looking at his fellow companions. Shoda was standing at the side, an unfathomable expression on his face. Ojiro was the one who looked as bewildered as he was.

"Thanks for all your help," Shinso said, walking away from the rest of them. A part of Kinus wanted to ask the boy what the hell did he do, but another part of him somewhat feared the boy. Maybe it was for the best to NOT interact with him for now, as Kinus's mind told him. The dragon felt violated.

"In fourth place, we have Team Midoriya! These four valiant teams will move on to the final round!"

Kinus surveyed his surroundings. The field filled with students that were teaming up with one another that was like minutes ago, was now ravaged with ice everywhere. It seemed Todoroki wreaked havoc at the field. Bakugo was fuming at the side, with a Kirishima who was visibly comforting him. Todoroki and his group was at one corner, looking visibly pleased with themselves. Then there was Midoriya's Team, standing triumphantly at another side. The green haired boy was crying his heart out, upon hearing that they got fourth place.

"What in the world did we miss?" Kinus asked, still utterly baffled at the events that transpired.

"Now, let's take an hour lunch break before we start the afternoon festivities! See you soon! Hey Eraserhead, let's grab some food."

"I'm taking a nap."

"Ojiro…" Kinus said, glancing at his friend who looked visibly frustrated. "What happened?"

Ojiro glanced back at him, a mixture of anger, frustration, and most dominantly, confusion was etched on his face. "I don't know, Hazani. I'm just in the dark as you are." His eyes then darted towards Shinso who was exiting the field, clearly eager to get some lunch. "But I'm sure that Shinso had something to do with it."

"That guy is dangerous. I think he messed with our minds or something…" Kinus muttered, holding his head. "It's like someone turned off my brain for a moment. I was there but not...really?"

"I'm the same as you," Ojiro added. He then shrugged.

"Hazani," came a voice.

Kinus turned his head to see Tokoyami walking up to him, a content smile on his face. "Oh, hey Tokoyami," he answered, smiling back at him. "Congratulations on getting fourth place, that must have been something, huh?"

"It was. Fighting off Todoroki was a definite challenge. We tried to protect the ten million points, but unfortunately they got the best of us," he answered, sounding a bit disappointed.

"You guys lost the ten million points?!" Kinus blurted out, surprised upon hearing this turn of events.

Tokoyami however, blinked, taken aback at the sudden outburst. "Y-yes. Did you not know? Present Mic was commentating about it quite lively."

"Y-yeah...about that…" Ojiro said. "We don't remember much of what happened."

"What? Seriously?"

Kinus nodded upon seeing Tokoyami's concern look at him. "Let's talk about this over lunch."

The Lunch Rush Cafeteria was alive and well, with the chatter of students filling the large room. Some were chatting with their friends, recounting their experience so far in the entire Sports Festival. Others were just catching up, and happy to take a break from the otherwise exhausting activity. Kinus found himself sitting at one of the empty tables, with the rest of Class 1A joining them soon after, each embroiled within their own topic of conversation.

"So, what happened?" Tokoyami asked, getting quickly straight to the point. The bird had been kind enough to not press the matter of asking what happened during the Cavalry Battle on their way to the cafeteria. He sensed that both Kinus and Ojiro needed time to collect their thoughts.

"Even I'm not sure, Tokoyami," he answered. "It was like...it was like I wasn't myself," the dragon responded, sounding like he himself was having trouble believing his own words.

"Huh," the bird responded, clearly sounding skeptical.

"I know it's sounds far fetched but like…" The dragon tried to recount what he could at least remember. "Ojiro and I were talking, thinking about who we should have as part of our team, and then Shinso and this other student walks up to us. He asks if he wants us to be part of his team."

"And you agreed?"

"I mean, yeah," Kinus responded. "I would have preferred to be teamed up with someone I was familiar with. I thought about you, but Midoriya already got to you first. At that point, we were running out of time so we just decided to go with it. It was better than just being the two of us, right? So we both said yes and then…" The dragon shook his head, visibly shivering at the thought that he couldn't remember anything anymore. "Nothing. Just nothing. I don't remember anything at all."

"Did you pass out or something?" Tokoyami asked, trying to make sense of what the boy was telling him.

"No. Yes?" Kinus was even confusing himself. "All I know is, it felt like I was lucid dreaming. I was somewhat aware of everything going on, but not aware enough to fully understand it all. By the time I woke up, Present Mic was announcing that we were in third place!"

Tokoyami scratched his chin, thinking thoughtfully. "Do you think that Shinso did that then?"

Kinus stared at his food, wondering if the answer to the question was buried somewhere in the bowl of Katsudon he ordered. "Ojiro thinks so, and I'm inclined to agree with him."

Just then, the boy in mind joined them in the table, seating across from Kinus. "I take it you've told him already?" Ojiro said, glancing at Tokoyami.

"I have," Kinus answered.

"It's a bit far fetched, but then again, you two have no reason to lie," Tokoyami reasoned. "Either way, it just shows that we shouldn't underestimate these students we're up against. Quirks can be a mysterious thing after all."

"If there's one thing for sure, it probably has something to with talking to him," Ojiro said. Kinus noted that the boy's fist was clenching in a show of anger. "It only happened when we opened our mouths." He huffed.

"W-well…" Kinus responded, raising his hands up in an effort to try and calm Ojiro. "What's done is done, I suppose. At least we're moving to the next round, right?" At the very least, Kinus was looking at the positive side of things.

"True…" Ojiro answered back, sounding a bit dejected. He turned to his food, his expression looking more withdrawn as he ate his lunch. It seemed that what had happened weighed heavily on his mind.

Kinus turned to his meal, doing his best to look at the positive to get his groove back in the game. He was in Top 16 and that was a big thing. He was one step closer to actually winning the Sports Festival. "So, how about you?" Kinus said, trying to start conversation. "How did the fight go on your end?"

Tokoyami swallowed his meal. "Hectic," he answered. "Trying to fend off everyone was quite a challenge. Thankfully, Midoriya proved to be a capable leader."

Kinus smiled. "Well that's good. I'm sure the crowd was in a rollercoaster of emotion throughout the entire thing."

"Oh they were," he answered. "Dark Shadow was loving the fact that he could finally show off."

That was when Dark Shadow crept up from under the table and nestled on Kinus's lap. "You should have seen me, dragon boy," he said ecstatically. "The crowd loves me!"

The dragon couldn't help but give the shadow beast a light scratch under the chin and a rubbing on the head. "I wish I could have seen it then," Kinus responded. "I'm sure they'll be happy to see you again in Top 16."

Dark Shadow purred and gently receded back into Tokoyami's form. "I thought I told him to get some rest…" the bird muttered.

That was when Mineta and Kaminari walked up to the table, having seemingly finished their lunches early.

"Yaoyorozu, Jiro," Kaminari began.

"Did you need something?" Jiro asked.

"Well, I'm sure you already know since you're a class representative and all," Mineta added, turning around to point to a group of girls who happened to pass by. "But they said all the girls would have to wear the cheerleading outfits for the big cheer battle this afternoon."

"What?" Yaoyorozu asked. "This is the first time I'm hearing about it. Hazani, did Iida tell you about this?"

The dragon perked up upon hearing his name. "Well no, not really. I'm sure I would have been given a letter in regards to that." He scratched his chin, trying to remember. His eyes darted over to Mineta who looked like he was sweating. The dragon's brow rose skeptically. What were these two up to?

Quickly thinking of something, Mineta then responded, "you don't have to believe me, but we heard it straight from Mr. Aizawa. I thought maybe you'd forgotten, so I'd tell you just in case. Besides, it was a last minute thing, or so I've heard, which is why the paperwork wasn't quickly filed for it for Hazani to read over."

Kaminari was nodding along in a show of approval.

"I don't trust them," Tokoyami muttered to Kinus, and the dragon agreed in response.

"Excuse me, you guys, I want to go take a walk," Ojiro said, standing up. He took his tray with him, and cleaned up.

"Oh, okay," Kinus said, watching the boy walk off. His tail wasn't as raised as it normally were, a sure sign that something was bothering Ojiro. Kinus could only surmise that the entire Cavarly Fight was still weighing heavily on his mind.

"How about you?" Tokoyami said, turning to face him. "Do you want Recovery Girl to check on you or something?"

"I'm fine," Kinus answered. "I feel fine." The dragon's eyes looked up and he saw a dash of Ojiro's blond hair amidst the crowd before exiting Lunch Rush Cafe. He sighed. "I'm going to go check on him," he inevitably decided, finishing the last pieces of his meal.

The bird nodded, and continued eating his meal.

Kinus easily weaved through the crowd, and eventually back outside. His eyes darted back and forth, in an effort to find his distraught friend. It took a little bit of searching, but eventually, Kinus found him. The sad Class 1A student was seated on one of the benches outside the stadium, staring at the ground like it owed him money.

"Ojiro."

The boy looked up, and a gentle smile tugged at the corner of his face. "Oh, Hazani, what's up?"

"You alright?" Kinus asked, sitting next to him on the bench.

He was about to answer, when a group of civilians happened to pass by. They were all enjoying their newly bought food items from the nearby stalls. One of the adults glanced at their direction and recognized their faces.

"Hey, you guys are Class 1A, right?"

"Yeah, we are," Kinus answered, smiling at them.

"You two got into Top 16, right? Great job!" the adult said, "do your best out there. My son's rooting for you." Just to emphasize his point, the young dragon that was shyly hiding between his father's legs, waved at Kinus.

"Thanks," Kinus responded, "I hope I don't disappoint."

The group continued onwards, leaving the two boys by their lonesome once more.

Ojiro sighed. "This just doesn't feel right."

The dragon's brow rose. "What is? Us getting into Top 16?"

"Yeah!" Ojiro remarked. "I mean, don't get me wrong, getting this far into the competition, when everyone is giving it their all, should feel like an achievement!" The boy's expression then fell. "But it doesn't."

"What on earth makes you say that?"

"I was hoping that I would be able to show people what I can do, " Ojiro reasoned. "I want to move past the competition through my own volition. Through my own successes…" The boy's fist clenched. "I can't do this, Hazani. I can't accept being handed this spot. It doesn't belong to me."

Kinus glanced at the boy. "You think that because you had no control over what happened back at the cavalry battle, that you don't deserve the victory that was handed to you?"

"Yes," Ojiro spat out. "I want to win...or lose...and have it be all on me."

The dragon glanced at him, sensing the conflict the boy was having. He wasn't even sure of what to say to him.

"I'm thinking of dropping out."

Kinus blinked, surprised at what his friend was saying. "What?"

"I'm thinking of dropping out," Ojiro repeated, a bit more forcefully time, as if trying to convince himself of what he was saying. "I don't want to win like this."

The dragon reached out, putting a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "Are you sure about this, Ojiro? I mean, you can always make up for it by going all out in the Top 16."

The boy thought for a bit, and for moment, Kinus wondered if he wasn't going to push through with his decision. But eventually, his decision remained the same. "I'm sure. It would feel like a hollow victory for me," Ojiro responded. His eyes then glanced at Kinus. "How about you?"

Kinus leaned back on the chair. "In a competition where everyone has something to prove, I understand why it feels utterly wrong to be handed a win you didn't worked hard for." The dragon looked ahead. "I share the same sentiment and feel guilty in being given an easy pass. I don't like taking credit for something I didn't do." He then shrugged and sighed. "But what's done is done. I'm instead just going to push myself to do even better in the Top 16 to make up for it." He smiled at Ojiro. "Besides…" The dragon's eyes darted towards a certain individual who was coming over towards them. "I made a promise to someone and I don't want to break that."

"Hazani, Ojiro," Tokoyami spoke up, announcing his presence. "We should get back onto the field. Lunch is about to be over anyways."

"Now that lunch is over, it's finally time to reveal the last game! But before that, I have some good news for the people who didn't make into the finals," Present Mic announced, his voice blaring once again over the speakers. Since this IS a Sports Festival, we've prepared recreational games that everyone can participate in! We even brought some real cheerleaders from America to liven things up!"

Kinus glanced at the side of the field and sure enough, saw the cheerleaders from another country doing their routine, cheering them on as they went back into the center of the stadium. But that was when his eyes drifted over to another group of students.

That was when Kinus noticed something. He briefly looked around. "Hey guys, where are the girls?"

Everyone else looked around, realizing that a part of their class was missing. "That's odd," Iida muttered. "I remember specifically reminding everyone to be back here at this time."

"Hey guys! We're here!"

Everyone turned their heads, and were all greeted with the sight of the missing students.

"Looks like Class 1A is going full on fan service!" Present Mic cheekily announced.

The girls of Class 1A were all wearing the same cheerleading outfits the US cheerleaders had, and it accentuated their features quite prominently. Kinus found himself staring for a brief moment, before quickly realizing he shouldn't and averted his gaze entirely. "So this was what that was all about…" he muttered to himself, glancing at the two boys at the side who were snickering to themselves. Mineta and Kaminari were soaking it all in for all it was worth.

It didn't take long for the girls to realize they were duped. "MINETA! KAMINARI! YOU TRICKED US DIDN'T YOU?!" Yaoyorozu cried out, visibly fuming from amongst the girls.

What resulted was the girls all ganging up on the two boys in particular, giving them a piece of their minds. Kinus just shook his head.

"Have fun competing in these little side games, everyone!" Present Mic continued, "when that's over, the sixteen from the four teams that made it to the final round will be duking it out in a one on one tournament style competition!" Kinus glanced up at the large monitors above and saw their pictures flash one by one. The crowd cheered, each competitor clearly earning some fans from the audience.

"Oh yeah! We finally have a chance to show everyone what we're made of!" Kirishima said, speaking out loud. His excitement was contagious. "I'm finally getting to stand on the stage that I watch every year on TV!"

"Is it always a tournament?" Ashido asked.

"The finals are always one on one, but they switch up every time," Sero responded. "Last year, it was a foam sword fighting match!"

"Oh I remember that," Kinus added, fondly remembering the tournament. "Those foam swords still looked painful even though they were basically toys!"

Midnight appeared on stage. "Your placing in the bracket will be randomly selected. Once the bracket is determined, we'll have the recreational games as an intermission. The sixteen finalist have the option of participating in the games, or using the time instead to relax, strategize and mentally prepare themselves for the final stage in the competition." She smiled, snapping her fingers and the familiar screen materialized behind her. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

"Um, excuse me."

Kinus turned his head and saw Ojiro raise his hand. "Are you sure about this?" he dared to ask him again, one final time.

The boy glanced at the dragon and nodded. "I've put some thought into this, but I'm withdrawing."

Naturally, everyone was taken aback at the sudden turn of events. Midoriya and Iida were the first to speak up.

"No way!" Midoriya cried out.

"But this is rare chance for you to be scouted," Iida added.

"Hazani has tried to convince me, but I've already made up my mind. It just wouldn't be right. I barely remember anything at all in the cavalry battle until the very end of it." His eyes darted to Shinso. "I think it was that guy's Quirk." Shinso remained quiet however. "I know that this is a great chance and all, but my conscience won't let me."

"You're making too much of this. Just kill it in the finals and prove that you should be here," Midoriya reasoned.

"That's not it," Ojiro responded, feeling frustrated. "I'm talking about my pride here! I refuse to give that up!"

That was when another voice joined the fray. "Nirengeki Shoda, from Class 1B. I want to withdraw for the exact same reason. Regardless of how strong I am, this isn't how i want to get here."

"These guys! They're so manly!" Kirishima blurted out, doing his best to keep his composure as he was on the verge of tears from what he was seeing.

Iida turned to Kinus. "How about you, Hazani? You were on the same team as Ojiro. Are you dropping out as well?"

Kinus felt everyone's eyes on him at that very moment. He could sense that his classmates from Class 1A all wanted him to stay on board. Ojiro placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know you already told me, but you really should stay, Hazani. Regardless of how we feel, that shouldn't impact your decision making."

The dragon nodded. "I'm staying. I don't like it as much as Ojiro, but right now, I'll just make the best of it."

"Oh thank goodness," Midoriya added, sounding relieved to hear his decision.

"Youthful talk like that is something…" Midnight spoke up, grabbing everyone's attention. "THAT TURNS ME ON! Shoda, Ojiro! You're withdrawn."

The R rated hero's word choice however got stuck on everyone's minds. "Did she say it turns her on?"

"So let's see here…" Midnight said, scratching her chin. "We'll have to move up one students from the fifth place cavalry battle team instead."

While Midnight and the rest of the students were sorting themselves out, Ojiro grabbed Kinus's attention. "I know you know this already, but be careful around Shinso, alright?"

The dragon nodded. "I'll make sure he won't get me again that easily."

"It probably has something to do with talking to him," Ojiro deducted. It was clear that he had put a lot of thought into this. "There's no other way he could have done that to us otherwise."

"Alright! It looks like it has been decided! Since Kendo and her team are giving up their spot, it seems that Tetsutetsu and Kamakiri will be moving on to Top 16." Midnight cracked her whip. "If no one else has any interjections, let's look at the updated brackets, shall we?"

The screen flashed, and began to display the matchups that would be leading Top 16. The crowd cheered as the typical tournament style bracket tree made itself evident, holding the various names of the students, and who they were facing. Kinus noted that the sixteen students were equally distributed into two blocks, with eight students each. It was designed so that the Grand Finals match would pitch the winner of Block A and Block B against one another.

"Whoa…" Mineta commented. "Is this for real?"

Sero gulped. "Wow, this is something."

Kinus's eyes carefully poured over the bracket, reading it out loud. "Block A has Shinso and Midoriya, Todoroki and Sero, Iida and Hatsume, and Bakugo and Uraraka." Sounds of surprise and a few gasps here and there emanated from the crowd as they all realized who was pitted against who. Even Kinus couldn't believe his eyes. If they were all in the same block then that meant only one thing.

A Class 1B student voiced his disbelief for him. "It looks like Class 1A's heavy hitters are going to eat each other alive."

Kinus turned back to the bracket, looking at Block B to find out his place. "Block B has me against Kamakiri, Kirishima and Tetsutetsu, Kaminari and Ashido, and Yaoyorozu versus…" His eyes darted to the black bird standing next to him. "Tokoyami."

Tokoyami smirked, eyes glancing at him knowingly.

Kinus just smiled back, having no need for words to respond to his friend.

The bird turned to his would be opponent, Yaoyorozu. "I'll give it my all."

The girl was caught off guard by the sudden sentiment, but nonetheless returned it. "Good, that's all that I asked of you," she replied back.

Present Mic's voice then chimed in, saying, "Alright! With the brackets finally set, let's take a moment to take a break and enjoy some side games!"

Kinus walked over to Tokoyami. "Are you going to join in the side games?"

The bird shook his head. "I'm abstaining from this one. I'm going to use this chance to rest, and mentally prepare myself for the upcoming challenges ahead." His eyes focused on Kinus. "I apologize, Hazani, but I would like to be alone for now. I'm sure you can understand why."

The dragon nodded. "I get you," he responded. "See you back at the stands, alright?"

"Likewise."

With that, the black bird walked away, heading off the field and back inside the stadium. While the idea of joining in on the recreational games was a tempting on, Kinus opted out of it. He too, made his way off the field, excusing himself from the rest of his classmates. Tokoyami was right. The Obstacle Race and the Cavalry Battle were nothing more than a warmup. The Top 16 one on one matches were the highlight of the Sports Festival, and it was obvious that this was where everyone was going to take out all the stops.

Kinus took a deep breath.

"I'm going to make you proud, dad."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **SO YEAH~ I kind of skipped out on the Cavalry Fight. Okay, okay, hear me out first before you guys start calling me hack or something. ORIGINALLY, I didn't plan on doing so. I actually HAVE an ALTERNATE Chapter 14 written up on Google Drive where Kinus goes and does the cavalry fight. As my personal twist on things, I would've had him ended up partnering with none other than Todoroki's Team. Yes. He would have partnered with Todoroki, Iida, and Yaoyorozu, and then it would play out, much like how the episode goes, except this time, with my own spin and flair on things.**

 **I would have shown the obviously great Quirk synergy Todoroki and Kinus had. Icy hot boy would basically give Kinus unlimited water, and he would just stonewall everyone with pillars of ice, or something like that. At some point, I even had Kinus creating a TSUNAMI of water because of the sheer amount of liquid he could work with.**

 **Would it have been a bit OP? Yeah, it was. Was it cool though? Yeah, it definitely was. XD**

 **Ultimately, I decided against it. 14 pages of scrapped content. Why? I wrote it while I was sick, so the quality was somewhat all over the place, and admittedly, it felt uninspired. Kinus shines in 1v1 combat, due to his Quirk and the skills he possess. I'm sure you've read the fight scenes I've had involving him. The cavalry battle is a great place to showcase teamwork, and would prove been a great exercise in creativity as to what I could do with someone like Kinus, who's primarily a melee fighter. Unfortunately, I just couldn't come up with anything that would be actually interesting, outside of what the episode already showed. The idea with Todoroki and Kinus was a good one, but felt pale compared to what canonically happens.**

 **So I just decided to start over. After asking fellow writer friends, I decided to go with what you see now. Still, it's a fun interpretation of getting mindjacked, am I right?**

 **And, hey, if you're interested in reading the Alternate Chapter 14, just PM me and I can share the link :D**

 **That said, Top 16! Yes, I changed up the brackets because why the hell not? Thankfully, majority of the plot related stuff in the Sports Fest takes place on the Block A side, so I just dumped all of them there so I can let Kinus and his fights breathe for a bit without having to worry a bit too much of canon. XD**

 **Hope you guys like the fights I have in store. This is going to be fun!**


	15. Chapter 15 The Battle Begins

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 15

The Battle Begins

"Dad?"

The older dragon looked down, seeing his bright eyed son look up at him, his toy figures still held in his hand.

He smiled warmly."What is it, Kinus?"

"Is it hard being a hero?" he asked.

The dragon's brow furrowed. He lowered the book he was reading and placed it on the desk at the side. "What makes you asked that?"

The younger dragon looked back at the television that was playing an anime targeted for kids. It featured a hero drawn with a brightly colored costume, fighting against an evil doer who was apparently out to destroy the city, with an equally bombastic and flamboyant costume that could rival the hero's. "Because He-Ro mentioned that being a hero is tough, and that it's not something for everyone." The boy turned his head. "How did you know that you wanted to be a hero, dad?"

The older dragon's eyes flickered towards the television screen briefly, before he answered, saying, "Well, what did He-Ro say? Did he tell you why he chose to be a hero?"

Kinus smiled. "He did! He said that someone had to stop Ant-Agony, and all the other bad people in the world."

"Well, I'm like He-Ro. I choose to be a hero because I want to make sure that the world you live in will be a safe one," he answered truthfully. His expression then softened and he said, "it's a hard job, but then I remember that I do it for you, and your mother, and that's what keeps me going."

Kinus nodded. Then a thought crossed his mind. "But what happens if you come across someone like Ant-Agony?"

The older dragon smiled. "Well, I do what I have to do to stop him and change him for the better. But whenever it feels like the whole wide world is against me, and I just can't go on any longer, I remember the most important thing there is."

"What's that?" Kinus asked curiously.

"Remember Kinus: a dragon never backs down."

Kinus let out a sigh, thinking back to the words he remembered his father telling him way back when he was a child. The dragon seated himself on one of the empty benches outside of the stadium, away from the hustle and bustle of peeps. A quiet place for him to just gather his thoughts, and collect himself. The one on one matches of the U.A. Sports Festival was something he always looked forward to every year, and to think that he was here participating in it was something surreal. These were the matches everyone watched, and frankly, the ones that truly mattered. It wasn't just about winning. It was winning and showing everyone what you were capable of doing.

The dragon mentally thought of the tournament. Majority of the participants were from Class 1A, thankfully enough, but he had the unfortunate luck of getting matched up with a student from a different class. Kinus frowned. If anything, that left him at a disadvantage. He knew nothing about Kamakiri, what kind of fighter he was, what kind of person he was, and most importantly, what kind of Quirk he had. For all Kinus knew, he could have something akin to what Shinso had and that was bad news. He could have gathered intel on him if he happened to have seen him in the Cavalry Battle, but given the circumstances, he wasn't able to.

At the very least the dragon just mentally prepared himself, remembering the choice words his father told him, and going back on his fundamentals, drilled into him by his mentor. His mentor trained him in various situations, and a wide range of fighting styles, so no matter what happened, Kinus was sure he could adapt to it. He always has, and the dragon knew in the back of his mind, he always would be able to.

"Never back down…" he repeated to himself.

A vibrating sensation from the dragon's pocket interrupted his quiet meditation. The dragon opened his eyes and reached into his pocket to see what was up. He was happy to find that it was none other than his mother calling him. Tapping the screen, the dragon accepted the video call.

"Hey Mom," he responded, smiling at his mother. The feed showed him his mother, smiling warmly back at him, in what looked like the interior of the police station. She was at her desk it seems, and from the lethargic activity behind her, things seemed to be rather quiet and calm in the station.

"Hey there, hero!" she responded. "I saw you on TV, sweety! You were amazing!"

Kinus smiled. Hearing his mother's acknowledgement of him always made the dragon feel even prouder of his accomplishments. Kinus was about to respond when he heard a commotion from the back. It would seem a few of his mother's colleagues overheard the call.

"Is that Kinus?" asked one of them. The camera was shifted and a middle aged male came into view. Kinus recognized him as one of the colleagues Ruby had at work. "Kinus!" he cried out. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing well, Mr. Satsu," Kinus responded respectfully. "Thank you for asking."

"Your mother and the rest of us got some spare time to watch the Sports Festival. I didn't know you've gotten so good." The man sighed, looking away from the camera. "Man, I wish I could move like you."

"Don't put yourself down too much, Kai," another voice said. Ruby shifted the camera to show a female crow leaning on divider on the desks. She smiled and waved at Kinus, and the dragon waved back.

"Jewel's right," Ruby came back into focus. "Besides, Kinus just has been training more often.

Kai chuckled offscreen. "I'll take that as a hint to hit the gym more."

"You should," Ruby replied back. She then turned to face her son again in the camera. "I'm proud of you, Kinus. We're going to try and keep up with the Sports Festival whenever we can."

"Thanks, Mom," Kinus responded, blushing lightly at his mother's compliments.

"You better win, Kinus," Jewel said, appearing behind Ruby. "Because Kai will treat us out for a celebration when you do!"

"Wait, I haven't exactly agreed to that!" came Kai's frustrated response off screen.

"Too late," Jewel said playfully. "Good luck out there!"

"Thanks Ms. Hoseki," Kinus responded.

Ruby smiled warmly at her son. "I'm sure your father is very proud of you, Kinus," she said. "Well, we have to go, good luck! I love you!"

"I love you too, Mom."

The phone call ended, and the screen went black. Kinus found himself staring back at his own smiling reflection. Eventually he put the phone away back into his pocket. With the support of his family and friends, the dragon collected his thoughts and placed his mindset into a positive place. He was going to truly give it his all.

Time continued forward. Before long, Kinus found himself walking back to the stadium, climbing back up the steps to head back to their designated place. A door opened ahead of him, and out came Midoriya and Ojiro, with the latter looking a bit concerned.

"Hey guys," he called out, "everything alright?"

"We're fine," Ojiro answered. He turned to Midoriya and then said, "Just remember what I told you, alright?"

"Just keep quiet, and I should be good," Midoriya answered.

"Oh that's right," Kinus commented. "You're fighting Shinso, right?"

"I am. Ojiro kindly informed me how dangerous his Quirk is," Midoriya answered. "I can't even imagine what it would be like"

The dragon shivered. "Trust me, you do not want to know. It's like being under drugs. Everything is psychedelic."

Midoriya nodded. "Well, I'll have to head to the waiting room guys, wish me luck."

"Good luck out there, Midoriya! We're all cheering for you!" Kinus remarked, waving at the boy.

"Kick his ass for me!" Ojiro added.

Midoriya soon disappeared out of view, and the two boys were left alone with one another. Ojiro motioned for them to move and Kinus followed after him. "Are you ready?" he asked the dragon as they climbed up the steps.

"For the matches?" The dragon shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be I suppose."

The sound of the crowd cheering as they were hyped up by Present Mic was becoming audible through the concrete walls.

"You'll be fine," Ojiro said. "You have a shot at this as much as the rest of the class do."

"The same shot as Todoroki and Bakugo?" Kinus asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Well you've fought Todoroki before, haven't you?" Ojiro countered. "Don't put yourself down, Hazani." His expression then softened. "Hell, if things had happened differently, I'd love to have had a shot of competing against you."

The dragon blinked, surprised at the statement. "Really now?"

"Yeah, I can't exactly let the other person with a tail take away the spotlight now can I?" he asked, smiling back at him.

Kinus snorted. "Touche."

The two rounded around the corner and eventually arrived at their area. The rest of their classmates were already there, waiting for the matches to start. Kinus made his way to an empty seat, finding himself seated next to a familiar friend.

"Do you think Midoriya will do well?" Kinus asked.

"We shall see," Tokoyami responded.

"HEY SPORTS FANS! Are you guys ready?!" Present Mic announced, still sounding lively as ever.

The crowd cheered, the anticipation and excitement was almost suffocating. It was all leading up to this.

"After all the action that you've already witnessed, it's time for the real battle to begin. Can you feel the excitement? Our competitors are on their own now; sometimes heroes only have themselves to rely on. Heart, skill, strength, wisdom, and courage! They all have to use these things and everything else to rise to the top!"

The stage began to heat up as the four pillars of fire at each corner was lit. "Alright, audience! Let's get to the good stuff. Welcome our first fighters." Pictures of the current match up flashed on screen. It was Shinso, paired with Midoriya who looked like he would rather be elsewhere. "Whoa, he looks a bit scared in that picture isn't he? It's Izuku Midoriya from the Hero Course. He's up against Hitoshi Shinso from General Studies. He really hasn't done anything to stand out yet. The rules are simple. You win by knocking your opponent out of bounds, or immobilizing them! You can also win by making them say 'I give up'. This is a no holds barred fight. We have our very own Recovery Girl waiting on standby, so anything goes. But of course, no life threatening attacks. It's not allowed. Real heroes use their powers to throw villains in jail, not kill them!"

Kinus blinked. If he didn't know any better, that statement felt like it was directed to him specifically.

"Hazani, I think Present Mic is telling you something," Tokoyami muttered just low enough for only the both of them to hear.

"Har har," Kinus spat back.

"I'll be the referee," Cementoss chimed in, seated on a throne he created himself. "I'll stop anything if it gets too rough."

"Are you guys ready?!" Present Mic asked.

Kinus noted that Shinso was saying something to Midoriya. The dragon's eyes flickered to Midoriya and saw that he was slowly becoming agitated.

It was Ojiro who voiced his concern for him. "Just don't open your mouth, Midoriya," he said.

"START!"

But unfortunately, Ojiro's warning fell on deaf ears. Whatever Shinso said angered the green haired boy and made a response. Midoriya was walking towards Shinso when he stopped moving altogether.

"Damn it!" Ojiro cried out. "I warned him not to say anything!"

"Hey, hey! What's going on?" Present Mic announced. "It's the first match. Things should start off with a bang! But why is Izuku Midoriya completely frozen?"

Everyone around Kinus was confused and baffled as to what was going on. Iida and Uraraka were both voicing their concerns, wondering why their friend wasn't moving. Tokoyami on the other hand was quietly observing, a hand underneath his chin. "That's the Quirk, isn't it?" he asked.

Kinus nodded. "I think it's safe to say that is the Quirk in action." The dragon focused his eyes and noted the empty look Midoriya had. Was that what he looked like under the effects of the Quirk? He must have looked so dead inside.

"So what exactly does it do?" Tokoyami asked.

"My best guess is that if you answer a question from Shinso, he can end up controlling you," Ojiro grimly replied, eyes focused heavily on the fight, or what little of it was, in front of him.

The match continued on as everyone processed the revelation. "What?! Midoriya's obeying him! Midoriya is walking out of bounds!"

"What?!" Iida and Uraraka cried out. Uraraka turned back to look at Midoriya, worry evident in her face. Iida on the other hand began to desperately think. He then asked, "is there a way to break out of it?"

Kinus thought for a moment. "My best guess is that someone has to probably knock some sense into you, literally."

"He's right," Ojiro remarked, surprising even Kinus. "Someone has to smack some sense into you to break you out of it."

Their eyes darted back to the field to see Midoriya inching closer and closer to the edge of the ring. The only person that could help Midoriya was himself. If the boy didn't do anything soon he was going to get out of bounds and be out of the tournament. Kinus watched with purpose. So this was the kind of power he should expect. Not everyone was the same and everyone had their own tricks and surprising amount of gimmicks. What if Kamakiri had something like this? Or perhaps, even something far more sinister?

"Deku, no!" Uraraka said, covering her mouth of sheer worry.

They were all literally watching their friend lose right before their very eyes.

But then, when all hope seemed lost, something amazing happened. Just when Midoriya was about to step beyond the line, a gust of energy burst from him, whipping up a blast of wind.

"What's this?! Midoriya just stopped just in time!"

Everyone gasped, but then quickly smiled, upon realizing that Midoriya was back in control. The boy was standing at the very edge, catching his breath. Whatever Midoriya did, he was able to break free from Shinso's control.

"Amazing…" Tokoyami muttered, smiling to himself.

"Way to go, Deku!" Uraraka cheered gleefully.

"Whoa…" Ojiro remarked, sitting back down. "That just about killed me." He was relieved, at least Midoriya was back in control.

Everyone watched as Midoriya rush back to Shinso, with the latter trying desperately to fend his opponent off. But with a new found vigor, Midoriya didn't relent, and continued forward, eventually throwing Shinso out of the ring in a dramatic turn of events.

Midnight's voice came ringing in everyone's ears. "Shinso is out of bounds! Midoriya advances to the next match!"

"That was so nerve wracking," Uraraka said, smiling happily.

"Turning the tables in the last minute, as expected of Midoriya!" Iida chimed in.

"Didn't he do the same shoulder throw on Bakugo back then?" Kaminari added, much to Bakugo's chagrin.

"Shut it, you," the boy snapped back heatedly.

Present Mic came on screen, getting everyone's attention. "That wasn't exactly the most explosive first match, but still, both of you fought bravely! Let's show them some love everyone." A round of applause greeted Midoriya and Shinso as they both exited the cemented stage.

Kinus allowed himself to relax. The dragon was happy that one of their friends made it through. "So," he asked to no one in particular, "who's the next match?"

"It's actually Sero and Todoroki," Kirishima added.

The dragon noted that Todoroki was already gone. But Sero was just about to leave. "Wish me luck everyone!"

"Do your best out there, alright?" Tsuyu cheered.

"I'll show everyone what I can do." Everyone bid the boy good luck as he took off, preparing for his match. A few minutes later, Midoriya came into their area.

"Hey everyone!" he greeted them.

"You did good!" Uraraka responded.

"Great job, Midoriya," Ojiro said, smiling at him.

Iida motioned for him to come over. "Come on down here, we saved a seat for you."

"Thanks guys," he replied back. He made his way over, taking a seat between Tokoyami and Iida.

"That was some good stuff, Midoriya," Kinus added, leaning towards the side to look at Midoriya. "How did you do it? How did you break out of Shinso's mind control?"

The boy raised his bandaged left hand up. "I don't know how exactly, but my finger kind of moved on its own," he explained awkwardly. "I'm just glad that I managed to break out of it."

"Still, that's some thinking on your part, Midoriya, good job," Tokoyami said, congratulating the boy. "Though, I think it's best you focus your attention on the next match. The winner of this will determine who you'll fight next after all."

"Oh that's right," he responded, tapping his palm with his fist. He then produced a notebook from his pocket and flipped through it.

"Taking notes?" Kinus asked curiously, seeing the various scribbles that littered the pages.

"Uh huh," he answered. "I like to take note of all the Quirks I come across." He then began to write down Shinso's name, as well as his respective Quirk. Midoriya's hand flew across the pages, words flowing through him effortlessly. His expression was of pure focus and concentration, like a person relaying everything they could on a piece of paper.

That was when an idea crossed Kinus's head. "Hey Midoriya."

"Yeah?" the boy responded, not looking up from his writing. He had already covered a page of notes based on Shinso.

"I don't suppose you have notes on me, do you?"

The pen stopped, and Midoriya paused. He then began to flip through his notebook and stopped when he found what he was looking for. "Oh yeah, I do," he answered, smiling at him.

"Is it alright if I read them?" Kinus asked pleadingly.

"Why do you need to read notes on yourself?" Iida asked curiously. Even Tokoyami had his brow raised at Kinus.

"Because I'd like to know what my weaknesses are," Kinus explained. "Just in case I missed something that wasn't obvious to me. After all, the best people to ask what you're bad at are the people around you, right?" The dragon's eyes briefly darted to Tokoyami at that statement, and the bird just looked away, a smirk forming at the corner of his lips.

"Oh, uh, yeah, go right ahead," Midoriya answered. "Though, it's not much." He handed the notebook to Kinus and the dragon took out his phone. He noted that there was about a page or two of stuff about him and nothing more. He briefly flipped the notebook and saw the other people, mostly his fellow classmates in Class 1A, had more pages dedicated to them than his. Kinus snapped a photo of the two pages and handed it back thankfully to Midoriya. "I haven't really gotten the chance to see you fight, so my notes on you are fairly simple in nature."

Kinus looked at the notes about him. "It's fine, Midoriya," he said, smiling at the boy. "Don't worry. You'll get to see me fight later."

"Oh yeah," Midoriya responded.

Present Mic began to announce the next combatants, Sero and Todoroki, but Kinus tuned him out. He began to read through the notes Midoriya had about him. It outlined the name of his Quirk, and what the basic functionality of it was. He stated the obvious con of it, which was that Kinus needed a source of water for it to function. Without it, he might as well have been Quirkless. Thankfully, this problem was solved by his support item. Right next to this statement however was the word 'support item' and was circled accordingly. What did that mean? Did Midoriya see a problem with the support item he was using? Kinus let the thought hang in the air for a moment before he continued reading. The pros outlined that he could probably do amazing things if he had a large tank of water with him, or an endless supply of it. It also was stated there that he could wield weapons with his Quirk, and could levitate them as long as they were made out of water.

The dragon digested the notes on him, which told him things he was already familiar with. "It's better than nothing…" he muttered to himself, putting his phone back in his pocket.

"Can you blame him?" Tokoyami said, noticing his reaction. "He hasn't exactly seen you fight."

"True…" Kinus remarked.

"You're better off asking me what your weaknesses are," Tokoyami added, smiling smugly at him. "I know you better than anyone here."

"I don't suppose you're willing to share that information with me," the dragon asked.

"Maybe," Tokoyami turned his head to face him. "But after our fight probably."

"Will the two of you keep quiet?" Ashido said, snapping at the both of them.

"Sorry," Kinus remarked, quieting down. He turned his attention to the field in stage in front of him. Todoroki and Sero were already in place, waiting for Present Mic start the match.

"And now, for the second match of the finals! Ready?! Begin!"

Sero exploded with energy, sending his tape straight at Todoroki who barely had a chance to react. It wrapped around him, binding him helplessly. The boy spun around, propelling Todoroki sidewards, and headed directly out of bounds.

"That attack is about to throw his opponent out of bounds!" Present Mic called out, voicing everyone's surprise. "A brilliant surprise opening attack! Way to start off strong, Sero!"

But the sudden momentum was quickly halted by an equally savage counterattack.

Kinus watched as Todoroki stop his own movement by forming an ice wall with his left side. The ice then moved forward, and headed straight towards Sero who never had any time to register what just transpired. It covered the boy completely. But it didn't stop there. The ice kept pushing forward, and Kinus quickly realized what was about to happen. The dragon stood up immediately and spread out his hands.

It was Tokoyami who regained his composure fast enough to notice him. "Hazani, what are you…"

The dragon didn't answer as he focused. A surge of ice came rocketing towards them. Kinus used his Quirk to safely divert it, letting it jet straight upwards instead, keeping him and the rest of Class 1A from harm's way. The ice crashed into the wall around them, shaking the entire stadium along with it. Before long, it settled and stopped. Kinus looked back, taking a moment to catch his breath. "Is everyone okay?" he asked.

Everyone was taking in what just happened, their eyes going from the large wall of ice in front of them, then back to Kinus. Iida was the first to break the silence. "W-we're fine, Hazani," Iida responded, looking a bit relieved that they didn't get hit by the iceberg. "Thank you."

"Is Todoroki trying to kill us or something?!" Mineta spat out. The boy was clinging on for dear life next to Shoji.

Kinus turned back around and cut out a block of ice from the wall in front of them, letting them see back into the center stage. He floated it towards the side, much to the amazement of everyone around him. It landed with a gentle thud. "I don't think so…" he answered. "At least I hope not."

"Tell the truth, Sero, can you move at all?" Midnight asked.

"I don't think he can move at all," Uraraka responded, shaking slightly from the cold atmosphere. The girls were all huddled up together to keep themselves warm.

"Sero has been immobilized! Todoroki advances to the second round!" Midnight announced, saying what was clearly in front of them.

"Such a display of power…" Tokoyami muttered. "I'm glad we don't have to face him in our matches. At least, not until the very end."

Kinus nodded. "Yeah, well…" he turned his head to look at Midoriya who had a mix of concern, curiosity, and what Kinus could guess was even pity for Todoroki. Why pity however, the dragon did not know. "Are you going to be okay dealing with this sort of thing Midoriya?" he asked, getting the boy's attention.

Midoriya visibly gulped.

That was enough of an answer.

It took awhile, but once the ice had been melted, the third match immediately went underway. The crowd cheered on as Present Mic introduced the new fighters on the field. It was a match between Iida and Hatsune Mei, a student from the support group.

"So it's hero class versus support," Jiro said.

"I wonder what kind of fight it'll be," Tsuyu commented as well.

"Uh, what's up with Iida?" Sato asked.

Kinus looked forward and saw that Iida was wearing support gear. "Why is he wearing support gear? Hero course students aren't allowed to use those."

"Unless they file the paperwork, right?" Midoriya asked. "That's why you can use yours, right?"

"Yeah. Sato, Aoyama and I all filed for ours. What on earth is Iida doing? Did he forget that he's not allowed to use those?" Kinus added, cocking his head to the side quizzically.

Sure enough, this was kindly pointed out by Midnight. However, after exchanging a few words with the court referee, Iida was surprisingly allowed to keep them, as they themselves were given to him by none other than his opponent, Mei.

Midoriya was puzzled at the turn of events but still kept to himself, keeping his pen at the ready to take note of the match before him.

"So Midoriya," Kinus said, glancing at the boy. "What kind of person is Mei? She was on your team on the Cavalry Battle right?"

"She was," he answered. "She's a resilient person and from what she told me, she was the one who invented all the support items she uses."

"Without her, we probably wouldn't have stand a chance in the Cavalry Battle," Tokoyami added. "I'm sure that she has something planned up her sleeve to give Iida a hard time."

"I see," Kinus responded. "I wonder how this match would play out."

What soon followed after was a match unlike anything that has happened so far. Mei practically took center stage and basically made an infomercial right before their very eyes. Iida was helpless against her as she dodged everything he did to stop her, and was pretty much aided by manipulating the very support items she gave to the boy. All the while this was accompanied by her explaining what her support items did, and she marketed it with unrelenting bravado. Kinus, and pretty much the rest of Class 1A and all the other people in the stadium, wasn't sure how to take all of this in.

The match lasted onwards for what seemed like an eternity before it all came to a halt when Mei herself stepped out of bounds, pleased with herself as she managed to market all the items she created to the support companies who were watching.

"Iida's so sincere he trusted her motives. She probably made it sound like she was doing him a favor," Midoriya commented, looking up from his notes. "She's so driven and forward about her goals. From what I can tell, she'll pretty much do whatever it takes to reach them."

Kinus lightly chuckled, hearing Midoriya mutter to himself. This caught the boy's attention, stopping the flurry of writing in his notebook. "What is it?" he asked.

"I just realized something. With the way you described her back there, I thought you were describing Bakugo for a moment," Kinus commented.

Midoriya blinked. "Oh…" He then let out a light laugh himself. "Yeah, Mei does share the same qualities as Kacchan as well, though he is far more direct with his intentions."

"Speaking of Bakugo," Tokoyami added, speaking up, "isn't it his match next?"

Midoriya's eyes went wide open. "Oh that's right!" He immediately stood up, surprising Kinus at how fast the boy bolted upright. "I have to go do something real quick."

"Oh, okay," Kinus added, watching as Midoriya ran off in a hurry, disappearing from view. He turned back to Tokoyami and then asked, "what's gotten into him?"

"The next match is between Bakugo and Uraraka," he answered plainly.

It took a moment for the boy to process what the bird told him. "Oh…oh no," he said, realizing what was just about to happen. "Really?"

Tokoyami nodded. "This is going to be a very...interesting battle."

"I'm worried for her," Kinus said, speaking out loud. While he wasn't really all that close to Uraraka, compared to someone like Midoriya, he knew the girl well enough that she wasn't the most adept fighter around. She could handle her own, of course, as she did fairly well the last time he saw her fighting back in All Might's against someone like Bakugo? That boy was a wall of difficulty that even made Kinus pause for concern. Still, the match continued on and in the next few moment, they were joined up once again by Iida and Midoriya, who both had looks of concern and determination etched on their faces.

"Welcome back," Kinus said, moving slightly to give them some space. "I take it you guys gave Uraraka some advice?"

"We did," Midoriya answered. "Or well...we tried to."

"Huh?" the dragon asked, wondering why Uraraka would refuse to accept support form her friends. "She refused?"

"She did," Iida answered. "She told us firmly that she wanted to win this match on her own merits." The boy looked down at the stadium and saw Uraraka and Bakugo walking up to the stage. "Still, we're still worried for her."

"This might be the most disturbing match up," Tsuyu commented.

"I know, I almost don't want to watch," Jiro added.

"The fourth match of the first round!" Present Mic announced, directing everyone's attention back onto the field. "He was kind of a hotshot in middle school, and just look at that determined face. From the hero course, it's Katsuki Bakugo! Versus! The one I'm personally rooting for, also from the hero course, Ochaco Uraraka!"

"Midoriya," Iida said, speaking up, "I'm curious. What was that strategy you came up with that would give Uraraka an advantage against Bakugo?"

"Honestly, it wasn't much of a plan," Midoriya said, looking down on his notebook "Kacchan's so strong. When it comes to close combat, he almost never has any openings. The more he moves, the more he sweats, which makes his Quirk all the more powerful. Plus, he's gotten really good at making use of his explosions to give him some air mobility. The silver lining is that if Uraraka is able to touch him, she can use her Quirk to make him float. If she succeeds in doing that, she wins by sending him out of bounds. That's why, it's obvious what Uraraka needs to do to get the upper hand." His face then turned serious as he focused on the match that was about to happen. "Strike first!"

"Let the fourth match, begin!" Present Mic announced.

"Wow look at her go!" Midoriya cried out, watching as Uraraka rush forward. "That's a good start, and all she has to do is touch him one time."

"But it won't be easy," Iida added, watching as intently as his friend.

"Which is why he won't dodge. He'll focus his energy on counterattacking," Midoriya said.

Sure enough, that's what the boy did. A loud explosion rang in the middle of the field as Bakugo swung his right arm towards his opponent. Uraraka was engulfed in smoke and debris, making Kinus flinch visibly in his seat. Taking a direct hit like that would definitely be painful.

"It looks like Bakugo isn't about to show her some mercy," Tsuyu commented.

Amidst the smoking debris, Uraraka's jacket appeared, and Bakugo reacted accordingly. "Now die!" he shouted, sending an explosive fist at the girl's direction. But as the smoke cleared soon after, everyone was taken aback upon realizing that it was a diversionary tactic.

"Wow! She made her jacket float," Ojiro said, surprised at the ingenuity.

"She used it as a distraction," Kinus added. Then the smoke shifted from behind Bakugo and out came Uraraka, burning determination in every step she took. "Here she comes!"

The girl reached forward but it was as if Bakugo had eyes behind his back. The boy turned around and sent another wave of explosion towards her direction, sending her flying back to square one. "Damn it!" Kinus muttered. "I thought for sure that would work."

"While that was a good trick, I don't think Bakugo would easily fall for something like that," Tokoyami added.

"Unfortunately," Kinus replied back, watching as Uraraka stand up once more, looking noticeably more ragged and desperate. He couldn't blame her. With the way how things were going, it seemed like defeating Bakugo was an impossible task to undertake.

The battle continued on, with everyone watching as Uraraka desperately trying to reach Bakugo but ultimately failing when it seemed like success was within her grasp. The expressions of everyone in Class 1A, as well as the rest of the audience, was becoming grimmer and grimmer, some of the girls even opting to just look away. Kinus spared a glance towards Iida and Midoriya, and saw both boys were clutching their pants in frustration, faces etched with anger as they were helpless in watching their friend get practically toyed with by a clearly stronger opponent.

"Uraraka keeps charging but Bakugo just keeps blowing her away. She's not even resting in between attacks anymore...the poor girl." Even Present Mic's commentary sounded less enthused than normal. This was a hard battle to watch.

"Isn't he going too far?" came a voice from the crowd.

"This is a bit too rough."

The crowd was soon becoming restless, voicing their displeasure at how Bakugo was performing. It was clear to everyone that he was the winner already, and they all just wanted him to get this over with. Even Kinus had to agree. This was beginning to be a bit too much. He wasn't one to toy with people. But that was when Mr. Aizawa's voice blared on the speakers.

"Is the guy who started this uproar a pro? Because if you are, then you should go home and hang up your cape."

Everyone was taken aback at Aizawa's statement. "Do you know what he's talking about?" Midoriya asked.

"Bakugo's fierceness is an acknowledgement of his opponent's strength. He knows that she deserves to have made it this far. He's doing everything he can to keep her at bay and make sure he comes out on top." The entire stadium quieted down after Aizawa's piercing statement. Even more so punctuated by the fact that the explosions audibly stopped.

"Thanks for not dropping your guard. I'm going to win!" Uraraka shouted.

Just then, ruble fell from the sky, seemingly coming out of nowhere.

"It's a meteor shower!" Present Mic called out.

"She had a plan all along!" Midoriya cried out, standing up out of pure excitement. "I can't believe it!"

"That's quite devious," Kinus responded, watching as the big rocks tumbled all around them in the stadium, threatening to crush the fighters if they didn't get out of the way. "She had Bakugo focus on her and floated the ruble from the explosions."

"Let's hope it pays off!" Iida said, watching the scene intently. All the attention was on Uraraka as she raced through the field, running as fast as her legs would carry her, arm outstretched in an all or nothing attempt to touch Bakugo. But the explosion that Bakugo sent upwards to deal with the shower of ruble was so strong, the shockwave that came with it sent Uraraka flying helplessly back, seemingly crushing what little advantage she had worked so hard for.

"You've got to be kidding me…" was all Kinus could mutter, as he could empathize at that very moment the very emotion Uraraka had as she looked at Bakugo.

"I figured you had some stupid plan to beat me," Bakugo announced, standing menacingly in front of her. "You are friends with that damn nerd after all."

"Bakugo has blasted boldly through Uraraka's secret plan!" Present Mic announced, punctuating the moment.

Kinus shook his head as he watched the girl tried to stand up on wobbly legs. It was clear to everyone there that this match had been decided. Uraraka was in no shape to fight anymore. But still, she persevered. She struggled, her entire frame shaking as she tried to stand. She turned to face Bakugo, desperate for one more shot. But as she tried to move, her legs buckled underneath her.

Uraraka collapsed to the ground in a heap.

"She's way passed her limit…" Midoriya muttered darkly.

Midnight walked towards the scene and confirmed Uraraka's condition. "Uraraka is K.O. Bakugo advances to the next round."

The sounds of cheers emanated from the crowd, but the heavy fight weighed heavily on people's minds.

"Well that was…" Kinus said trying to find the words to alleviate the dark mood. "That was something."

"Indeed," Tokoyami added, equally at a loss for words.

Everyone watched as Uraraka's body was carried on the stretched and carted off to Recovery Girl's clinic.

"And that's it for that match..." Present Mic announced. "I was really pulling for her. Oh yeah, Bakugo's moving on," he added sadly.

"You're supposed to be unbiased you know," Aizawa chimed in.

"Let's try to forget that depressing outcome!" Present Mic replied back, sounding like his usual more enthustical self. "We're going to take a quick break as we try to repair the stadium. After that, we'll have more matches!"

Kinus sighed, feeling his anxiety kick up, and his heartbeat quicken. That only meant one thing. "Well," he said, standing up from his seat. He turned to everyone in Class 1A who all glanced at him. "Looks like I'm up next. Wish me luck."

It seemed everyone was happy to focus their attention on something other than the depressive fight they just watched. Ojiro spoke up, beaming at him. "You're going to do great out there!"

"Thanks. I just wish I wasn't going in the dark in this one as the rest of you guys are," Kinus remarked.

"You're fighting a Class 1B student, right?" Shoji commented. "I'm sure you'll manage, Hazani."

Kinus was about to go when Tokoyami momentarily stopped him. The bird only had a few choices words for him. "Don't lose."

Kinus chuckled. "I don't plan on it."

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: First and foremost, I truly apologize for the long overdue update. I went hiatus for over a month there, but with good reason. Life came at me. Work had me do things, and then I also had to deal with school stuff. Yeah. It's not fun. Hell, I'm still stressed out still right now. I'm still searching for a possible thesis title. College is never fun, especially when you're going back again for a higher degree.**

 **Ugh. But enough about me. XD Thoughts on the chapter!**

 **Now that was a long chapter now was it? I mainly did it like that to condense it so that we can easily breeze through the fights in the chapter before it's Kinus's turn to take center stage. We even get to see a brief flashback of Kinus's father, Kazehaya, giving him some solid advice while growing up.**

 **With the next chapter, it's finally time for Kinus to step up! Let's see what happens as he fight a student from Class 1B!**

 **Please don't forget to comment you guys! Feedback is always greatly appreciated.**


	16. Chapter 16 End of Top 16

Age of Heroes

By Viperwatcher

Chapter 16

End of Top 16

His palms were sweaty.

Knees were a little weak and arms were heavy.

Kinus felt like he wanted to vomit as he sat quietly inside the waiting room. The waiting was unbearable. While the dragon wasn't a stranger to anxiety, this was something else entirely. He did his best to NOT think about what was on the line in this match. But instead, he focused on keeping his breathing in check, taking deep breaths to steady his racing heart and slightly quaking legs. The dragon walked up to the mirror at the side and glanced at his reflection. The face of a nervous, yet cautiously optimistic dragon looked back at him. He gently touched the scar that was on his face, a stark reminder of the ordeal he just went through.

Looking back on it, the Sports Fest seemed trivial compared to what he went through back at USJ. Here, he was fighting for his future, for the promise he wanted to keep, and for the personal pride and goal he set for himself. To succeed and make a mark, to tell the world that this was who he was, and this was who he wanted to be.

At USJ however, it was far more primal and far more simpler. It was the desire to survive and live. There was nothing more to it.

The dragon found himself smiling warily as the thought settled in his head. He had fought someone whose goal was to kill him, and lived to tell about it. Being worried over a simple competition made by a school for students seemed comical in comparison. The juxtaposition of the two things at least helped temper dragon's anxiety. If only a little. The cheers of the crowd from the outside clued Kinus in that break time was over.

There was gentle knock on the door. A UA Staff peered in, holding a clipboard. "Kinus Hazani?" he called out, looking at the dragon. "It's time for your match."

Kinus nodded.

0=0=0=0=0=0

"We're finally back folks!" Present Mic cried out over the speakers. "It's time to move on to the next half of our matches, and it looks like we'll have something to look forward to!" Up on the large screens that surrounded the stadium, Kinus's photo, alongside his opponent, Kamakiri flashed on screen.

"A capable heavy hitter! The dragon with his signature dragonic halberd. From the hero course, it's Kinus Hazani!"

Kinus smiled, feeling all eyes on him as he stood from one end of the cemented platform. He prepared himself for the combat he was about to face by jumping up and down slightly, stretching his arms and legs. Across from him, stood his opponent, looking bored and disinterested. This was probably the first time Kinus had a good long look at his opponent. Kamakiri stood proud and tall, with a distinctive green mohawk on his head. The two mandible like blades that jutted out from the sides of his face gave off an intimidating vibe. Kinus tried to read his opponent, to try and see how he fought. But so far, Kamakiri wasn't giving him any signs. Even worse, he didn't exactly see him at the Cavalry Battle to get a hint at what he could do.

"Versus! He's the kid with the razor sharp mandibles. The other student from Class 1B who made it in, it's Togaru Kamakiri!"

Kinus turned his head and looked towards the direction of Class 1A's seats. All of them were cheering for him, except for Tokoyami and Midoriya. The former was quiet as ever, and the latter was busy writing in his notes. Next to them however, was Class 1B, and the students there were cheering their heart out for Kamakiri.

TetsuTetsu's voice immediately stood out. "Show these Class 1A students what we're made of, Kamakiri!"

He then focused his attention back onto Kamakiri who had now gone into a fighting stance. His knees were bent, arms at the side. The dragon figured the boy was lowering his center of mass. A classic fighting stance to keep yourself perfectly balanced. The boy's fists were clenched. Kinus's brow rose. Was he a hand to hand fighter? His thoughts were derailed however when Kamakiri spoke. "Fair warning, just because this is a school event, doesn't mean I'm not going to go easy on you." His eyes narrowed. "I'm in it to win it."

The dragon's mind raced as he tried to prepare himself for whatever was to come. "Likewise."

Present Mic's voice blared over the speakers. "Now! Let's get started. Fifth match, begin!"

The dragon crossed his arms on his chest, and called forth the water from his pack. The liquid quickly solidified, forming into throwing knives. Gripping them tightly, he threw them at Kamakiri who opted to charge at him. The boy dodged, quickly rolling to the floor to evade the flying projectiles. Seeing an opening, Kinus ran to meet Kamakiri. He called forth his dragonic halberd, and spun around, swinging it to hit the rising boy.

A loud clang signalled Kinus's weapon colliding with something.

"Amazing! Kamakiri managed to block Hazani's combo attack with a weapon of his own!"

Kinus's eyes darted towards Kamakiri who had indeed blocked his attack, but with a weapon he wasn't expecting. Kamakiri chuckled in his look of disbelief. "Let's even the playing field a little." The boy retaliated back, grinding the blade protruding from his skin against Kinus's halberd and pushed the dragon back effectively.

Kinus took a few paces back to give himself some space, and recalculate his approach. But it seemed Kamakiri wasn't interested in giving the dragon some breathing room. "If you're just going to stand there," Kamakiri cried out, charging at Kinus. His hands were to the side, blades menacingly pointed at the dragon. "Then allow me to go first!"

The dragon quickly defended himself from Kamakiri's attempt to swipe at him. The boy came at him, slashing left, right, up and then down, before mixing it up one after the other. Kamakiri was using his lateral momentum perfectly to accentuate his swings, and not waste any kinetic energy. Kinus struggled to block, and evade, having trouble to break the boy's effortless flow.

"What's wrong?" Kamakiri asked in between strikes. "You seem distracted!"

Focus, Kinus! Focus!

Kamakiri went for a low right, and as Kinus went to block for it, the boy countered by quickly shifting his swing to a high left. The punch connected, and the dragon swore he saw stars as he took a blow to the side of his head. He stumbled slightly, vision blurring, and for a brief moment, he could see nothing. He heard Present Mic say something over the speakers, but the dragon was too disoriented to actually process what the commentary was. He opened his eyes and his vision was nothing but a hazy mess.

Damn it, I can't see well out of my right eye!

Kinus had to rely solely on his reflexes as the mass of green and white in front of him charged forward, entering another string of swings at his direction. Kinus backed up, one step after the other, focusing heavily on defense as he tried to fend off Kamakiri's voracious efforts. It was only a few seconds later did he realize how bad of a situation he was in.

"What an amazing display of weapon mastery we're seeing here folks! Hazani is putting on a great wall of defense, but at this rate, Kamakiri's going to push him out of bounds!" Present Mic commented.

Kinus managed to snap a quick look back and realize how fast he was approaching the border line. If he didn't do something, he was going to lose! The dragon began to panic as he was forced to move back by Kamakiri's wall of offense. He couldn't lose here! The dragon gritted his teeth. He still had a promise to keep. All he needed was an opening.

"Sorry, but I'm going to win this fight!" Kamakiri announced, rearing back to go for another swing.

Kinus raised his halberd to defend against the slash directed at him. The attack connected, and the dragon watched as his halberd get slashed in two, getting sliced cleanly at the shaft. A grin flashed across Kamakiri's face, realizing that this was great for him. But Kinus wasn't down for the count. The dragon decided to turn his disadvantage into an advantage. Acting quickly, Kinus gripped the two broken pieces of his weapon and rolled out of the way as Kamakiri went for a kick that would have surely tumbled him out of bounds. The dragon then got up quickly, continuing to block Kamakiri's aggressive attacks at him with his broken weapon. Blade clashed against the ice, the dull clang sounding around the stadium. The extra mobility Kinus had from now wielding two smaller weapons instead of his more heavy single one, allowed him to dodge and weave against Kamakiri, letting him keep up in pace.

"What a turn around folks! Hazani is staying strong, being able to still fight even when his own weapon got cut in half!"

"Well, aren't you a resilient bastard!" Kamakiri said through gritted teeth.

Kinus managed to let out a smile in between strikes. "I've been through worse."

The statement only served to anger Kamakiri, frustration showing on his face. "Don't get so cocky!" The two continued their deadly dance of blades, the tide of the battle seemingly stuck in equilibrium as neither side was willing to let up. It was Kamakiri however who eventually decided to go for broke. The boy spun around, mixing up his swings with a quick kick, and ended up punishing Kinus's who was overextending. The resulting scuffle disarmed the dragon, the broken weapons he had sent flying up high above.

The two locked eyes for a brief moment.

Kamakiri then went on the offensive, slashing wildly at the now defenseless Kinus. The dragon wasn't being given any space to form another weapon, and was forced to dodge and weave like his life depended on it. All he needed was just one opening. A glint at the sky told him that his window was coming up quickly. A dodge to the left, a sidestep to the right, and then the dragon ducked, Kamakiri's blade barely missing Kinus's head by inches. The resulting slash left the boy wide open, and Kinus capitalized on it.

The dragon countered with a rising uppercut, hitting Kamakiri squarely on the jaw.

The stadium itself seemingly turned head over heels as Kamakiri was launched by the momentum. Kinus propelled himself upward, and reached out, grabbing his falling weapons in perfect timing. He froze them together once more, and Kinus landed back down the floor, swinging his halberd with a stylish flourish. Kamakiri on the other hand, scrambled to stand, looking angry and slightly dazed. Without skipping a beat, the two were back at it once more, Kamakiri letting out a roar of anger as he threw himself at Kinus. This time however, he clearly was off his game, as the dragon noted he was slower than he used to be. The uppercut to the jaw must have done a number on him.

The entire crowd was enamored by the fight happening between them. They shouted, cheering for no one in particular. At this point, it seemed they were happy at the spectacle they were seeing rather than be excited to see who was winning. Even Present Mic was unable to say anything as the action and equal opposite reaction was happening too fast to even commentate. Instead Aizawa was the one to temporary fill in for color commentary. "What you're watching are two students who are showing the world what they are truly capable off."

Kamakiri made another attempt at Kinus, rearing back and jumping into the air. He then spun around, a circle of blades crashing down. The dragon responded back, morphing his halberd into a shield to protect himself from the falling heavy attack. The blade scratched the surface, the sheer force and weight threatening to crack it in half. Kamakiri's downward momentum staggered Kinus. This left him wide open, and Kamakiri made sure to capitalize on it. The boy aimed for a sweep, catching the dragon not watching his legs. He then slashed at the dragon, who immediately rolled away.

The crowd cheered loudly as Kinus scrambled to stand up, feeling his right side ache a little. His eyes flickered to see what the damage was. He was thankful that it was just a light cut, and not something serious. A light shade of red tainted the surgically torn edges of his PE uniform.

"After a solid time of pure action, it's Kamakiri who draws first blood!" Present Mic commentated, speaking once again after being so uncharacteristically quiet.

Kinus took a deep breath and assessed the situation. Kamakiri was a capable fighter, there was no doubt about that. He could even say that they were on par with each other in terms of skill and reflexes. Any attempt of getting a stray hit in would be a challenge, so Kinus's best bet was to catch the boy off guard to land a clean hit. But how? How was he going to do such a thing?

Kinus's eyes drifted to his weapon, and saw that it was dripping some small droplets onto the floor. It was probably because of the heat. It was hot out in the middle of the cemented fighting stage, without any roof over their heads. His eyes followed the dripping water, and then his eyes flicked towards Kamakiri who was standing guard. "Is that...all you got?!" Kamakiri shouted, exhaustion beginning to wear him down.

"What is Hazani going to do against this wall of defense?"

A plan began to formulate inside Kinus's head. This fight had been going on for far too long. He hoped that it was enough to score a knockout because this was going to be painful for his back.

"Hazani charges back into the fray! Let's hope he has a plan!"

Kinus ran back to attack Kamakiri who happily met him halfway. The two combatants clashed once more, except this time, Kinus knew what he wanted to do, and decided to lead Kamakiri on. He swung left, then right, and then left again, each attack having more power behind it than the last. Kinus was attempting to overwhelm Kamakiri's defense. But the boy was fighting back, defending with all his might.

"It seems desperation has taken over Hazani, and his throwing everything he's got into each of his swings!" Present Mic added in response to his actions.

The dragon waited patiently for the right moment to enact his plan.

Then he found it.

The boy reared back from the sheer power Kinus had behind each of his strikes. Realizing that his opponent staggered, Kinus jumped back, before spinning around, seemingly in an attempt to land another forceful, square hit against the boy.

Kamakiri reflexively raised his blades to block.

But the collision never came. All he was met with was a splash of water.

"What the?!" he blurted out, utterly baffled by what just occurred.

But it was already too late for him.

Kamakiri felt hands wrap around his waist tightly, and then the floor beneath him disappeared. Kinus was no longer in front of him, and it was like the entire world turned head over heels as he was swept off his feet. A loud, almost bone crushingly painful thud echoed across the entire stadium as Kamakiri's head collided squarely on the floor. The boy's body slumped in a heap as Kinus got up, clutching his back slightly.

"We're both going to feel this in the morning…" the dragon muttered to himself, amidst the crowd going wild from the epic display of spectacle they were subjected to.

"A SUPLEX! Hazani went for a suplex!" Present Mic shouted enthusiastically over the speakers. "This boy was aiming for the knockout! Did it pay off however? Midnight, how's Kamakiri doing?"

Kinus glanced at Midnight who was now kneeling over Kamakiri's fallen body, checking for the boy's condition. She then stood up and raised a hand towards Kinus. "Kamakiri is K.O. Hazani advances to the next round!"

The crowd cheered loudly, the screen displaying his picture with the clear title of 'winner' right next to it. Kinus would have been jumping in joy if his back wasn't in so much pain. The dragon smiled warily to himself. Next time, he'd be sure to do more stretches. He instead just smiled happily, giving the crowd a confident thumbs up before making his way back into the stadium. He was tired. His entire body ached, and once the adrenaline began wearing off, he felt completely exhausted. It was just the first fight of the day, and already, he felt like he wanted nothing more than to sleep at that very moment.

But the tournament was still in play. With a contented sigh, the dragon exited the stage. The first order of business was to have Recovery Girl treat the cut he received from Kamakiri.

0=0=0=0=0=0

One quick trip to the clinic, accompanied by a mix of praising and scolding from Recovery Girl, and Kinus was back on his feet. The dragon was slow in making his way back up the stairs however, as his stamina still needed to recover from being sapped. When he got back up to the stands, the sounds of his classmates chatting with one another filled his ears.

"Hey guys," he greeted them, appearing in their view.

Midoriya was the first person all over him. "Hazani, that was amazing!" he cried out. "I was on the edge of my seat. You were both so evenly matched. I couldn't tell who was going to win between the two of you."

"We all were!" Ojiro added, standing next to Midoriya. "You put up a good fight back there."

Kirishima stood up, and threw two mock punches against the air. "Those punches you two were throwing at each other is getting me pumped up. Why didn't you tell me you could put up a brawl when you wanted to, Hazani?" The boy clapped him on the back, and the dragon grunted in response. "Oh, sorry!" he added, looking apologetic. "But really, Hazani, you should have told me. I would have asked you to spar with me."

Kinus smiled. "Well if you win the next match then you'll get what you want."

The boy's eyes lit up. "Oh that's right!" It seemed like the prospect of getting to fight Kinus fired up Kirishima even further. "I'm going to win this guys!"

"Good luck out there, Kirishima," Tsuyu responded, waving at the boy. The red headed boy made his exit, and Kinus made a beeline back to his seat.

"For someone who finished at eleventh place back at the Quirk Assessment Test, I'm genuinely surprised at how athletic you are," Midoriya commented, going back to his seat.

"I'd like to think I've improved since then," Kinus responded.

"Congratulations," Tokoyami remarked as Kinus sat down next to him. "That was an impressive match."

Dark Shadow slinked out from Tokoyami's form and rested on the boy's shoulder. His yellow eyes looked at Kinus. "I would say the same, but I expected you to win in the first place," he said smugly.

"I'm glad that I didn't disappoint you," Kinus remarked. He grunted a little, earning a cautious look from his seatmate. Even Dark Shadow looked a bit concerned.

"You did go to Recovery Girl, right?" Tokoyami asked concernedly.

"I did," Kinus responded. "My back still hurts a bit though. I knew I should have done more stretches."

"Still, a suplex?" Tokoyami said, turning his attention back to the stage. "If I didn't know you, I would think you did that just to show off."

Kinus let out a light chuckle. "It was the first thing that came into my mind. Kamakiri had amazing defense. He kept blocking everything I was throwing at him. I had to give everything I had into that grab." The dragon sighed. "I'm glad that it knocked him out to win the round."

"Just try to be more careful next time," Tokoyami added.

"Straining your back this early in the matches aren't going to do you any favors," Dark Shadow commented, before disappearing into his owner's form.

The pang of pain the dragon felt on his back made him nod in agreement. "Hear, hear."

Everyone's attention was taken once more as Present Mic's voice echoed across the stadium. "The sixth matchup is between two completely redundant Quirks! A manly and passionate fighter made of steel, from the Hero course, TetsuTetus TetsuTetsu! Versus! A manly and passionate fighter made of rock! From the hero course, it's Eijiro Kirishima!"

Kinus cocked his head to the side. "Everything about them is so similar."

"It's like banging two pieces of rock against one another," Tokoyami noted.

His friend's bluntness wasn't lost on him. "Well, we should still cheer for Kirishima either way. He is our classmate." The dragon turned to Midoriya who was writing on his trusty notebook. "Who do you think is going to win, Midoriya?"

The boy stopped for a moment, eyes laser focused on the two fighters squaring off. "I can't say for certain. It's like Tokoyami said, it's like banging two rocks against one another."

As if to emphasize the dullness of the matchup happening in front of them, Kinus turned his head to see Mineta fast snoring away quietly at the back. He couldn't blame him. The two Quirks that were about to be displayed weren't exactly flashy. Jiro on the other hand sensed the lack of disinterest and was quick to prick Mineta back awake with her ear jack.

"Can't wait to see how this one ends," Present Mic announced. "BEGIN!"

The two fighters charged at each other, and Kinus immediately realized that they were both going for the same opening attack, a powerful right handed clothesline punch. Both Kirishima and TetsuTetsu met midway, their fists colliding perfectly against one another. The dragon winced in his seat. With the way both reeled back slightly, the impact behind the punch wasn't lost on the dragon. What soon followed was a fight that resembled a street brawl. Since both had similar Quirks, their fight styles were almost carbon copies of each other.

"After watching the fight you had with Kamakiri, I'll admit, I'm underwhelmed," Tokoyami remarked, leaning back on his chair, visibly disinterested at the two fighters ruthlessly wailing at each other.

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Kinus asked, wincing slightly in his seat as he saw TetsuTetsu land a solid hit against Kirishima who brushed it off like it was nothing. "They both have physical enhancement Quirks, so naturally, they'll rely on using their pure physical strength to win fights."

"True, but that doesn't mean that's all they should focus on," Tokoyami answered. "There's always room to improve. Not all fights can be won with brute strength, or the strength of one's Quirk alone. Strategy is key." He then glanced at Kinus. "You taught me that."

Kinus smiled.

"That said, who do you think is going to win?" Tokoyami curiously asked, less enthused about the fight and clearly more interested in conversing with his friend.

Kinus turned back to look at Kirishima and TetsuTetsu. Both looked a bit rugged, the long winded match between them clearly taking a toll on their bodies. They've been trading blows nonstop with one another ever since the fight started. The dragon scratched his chin. "It's a bit hard to say, really. It's like watching a boxing match between two evenly skilled fighters. I see two outcomes happening here." The dragon winced again upon seeing Kirishima take a full punch to the face. Kirishima shrugged it off, and the dragon was amazed at how durable the boy was. "Either one of them is going to land that hit that knocks the other out, which is a bit unlikely since they both can seem to shrug off head on body blows like its nothing, or," the dragon continued, crossing his arms across his chest, "one of them slips up because of exhaustion."

Midoriya, who was quietly thinking to himself, perked up upon hearing the dragon's analysis. "Oh that's right!" he exclaimed, scribbling something once more in his notes. "How did I miss that? That's the drawback to physical enhancement Quirks like Kirishima's." He finished writing and turned to look at Kinus who was smiling at him. "It's mostly tied to stamina. Fighting like this over a long period of time must put quite a strain on their bodies."

Kinus nodded, and sure enough, he noticed the signs of it. Although both fighters were explosive right off the bat, the dragon saw the tell tale signs of exhaustion beginning to show itself. Kirishima was moving more slowly, his punches were more sluggish and looked like it was lacking the power it had behind it compared to it was before. The same could have been said to TetsuTetsu who was also beginning to slow down himself.

It wasn't going to be long until one of them was going to fall down at this point.

"It looks like this match is going to be over any minute now," Tokoyami said, and then stood up. "I should best be off to prepare."

"Don't you dare lose now, you hear?" Kinus said, looking at the bird.

Tokoyami smiled confidently. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"Good luck, Tokoyami!" Iida said, waving the boy goodbye.

Kinus watched as Tokoyami made his way out of the stand, and eventually disappearing out of sight. Not a few minutes after him, Yaoyorozu followed suit. "I think I'll go prepare for my match," she said smoothly.

"You're going to do great, Yaoyorozu," Jiro remarked, offering her a thumbs up.

"I'm sure Tokoyami would be no match for you!" Ashido commented.

"Thanks for the support guys," she said, smiling at all of them.

As Yaoyorozu left the stand, the climax of the brawl reached its conclusion in front of them. Kirishima and TetsuTetsu traded one final punch with one another, before collapsing onto the floor lifelessly.

"Is it over? The hardheads look like they've been KOed but who is the winner?!"

Midnight walked over to the two fighters and inspected their injuries. After one tense moment, she reached her decision. "Both contestants are down! It's a draw!" Stretchers began to wheel out and the robots placed both fighters on them carefully. "In the case of a draw, after they recover, the winner will be determined by a simple contest, perhaps arm wrestling."

The crowd gave the two unconscious fighters a round of applause as they both got carted off to meet with Recovery Girl. Kinus knew that although it looked like they were going to have bruises with the way their injuries looked, Recovery Girl was going to give them a speedy recovery.

"While we wait for Kirishima and TetsuTetsu to recover, we'll move on to the next battle!"

A picture of Tokoyami and Yaoyorozu appeared on screen.

"So the match hasn't started yet?"

Kinus, Iida, and Midoriya both looked towards the direction came from. It was from none other than Uraraka. Kinus was taken aback by Uraraka's appearance. There was a bandage on her face but what took the dragon off guard was that her eyes were swollen red and puffy. It was clear that she had been crying. The dragon ended up nodding in response to her question.

"Oh good," she responded.

"Something terrible has happened to your eyes! You need to go see Recovery Girl," Iida exclaimed.

Kinus spared the boy a glance, wondering if he was being serious, or if he was just being daft at the moment.

"I already did," Uraraka answered, making her way towards her seat. "This is from…" she rubbed her eyes lightly, "...something else."

"Ah I see...If I were you, I'd be frustrated too," Iida remarked.

Kinus realized he was probably reflecting at his somewhat humiliating victory against Mei. He opted to give the two some words to cheer them up. "It's no time to wallow," Kinus said, looking at the both of them. "Use this next fight as a source of encouragement."

"Will do," Uraraka said firmly.

"You're so wise," Iida added, seemingly at awe at the words of the dragon.

"Glad to see you're okay, Uraraka," Midoriya responded, offering a warm smile to his friend.

"You can't put me down that easily," she answered, offering Midoriya a confident thumbs up.

Present Mic's voice directed all of their attention to the center stage. "Let's not let this hot streak cool! Time to move onto the next match!" The crowd cheered as the two combatants entered the fray. "Offense and defense in one! The dark samurai and his darker shadow. From the hero course, Fumikage Tokoyami! Versus! The great creator. She was admitted because of recommendations and I think we can all see why. Also from Class 1A, it's Momo Yaoyorozu!"

Ojiro leaned in and then asked, "Midoriya, how do you think this one will end? Any clue?"

"Timing is going to be the key thing here," Midoriya answered.

"Oh, how so?" Ojiro asked.

"It's mainly because Yaoyorozu has to take time in creating the tools she needs to fight," Midoriya explained. "In contrast with Tokoyami, he can easily attack and overwhelm her during the downtime with the aid of Dark Shadow. If Yaoyorozu is unable to counter that, she's going to lose."

Ojiro nodded. "You're right." His eyes then flickered towards Kinus.

The dragon was quietly watching the two fighters, hands clasped together and placed underneath his chin, a clear sign of someone thinking very deeply. Kinus was using this chance to study his friend, and clear rival. He had been silently listening to Midoriya's explanation as well, and agreed with him wholeheartedly. If Yaoyorozu wasn't quick on her feet, she was going to lose.

"Hey Hazani," Ojiro called out, grabbing his attention.

"Yes?" he asked, not taking his eyes away from the stage.

"What do you think Yaoyorozu should do to stand a chance?" Even Midoriya stopped scribbling for a moment to glance at him, curious in his reply.

"Oh yeah," Ashido added. "Aren't you guys like, inseparable?" she asked, in an almost teasing tone. "You must know some secrets about him."

"I know a few things," Kinus answered, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "For one thing, I know that right now, Tokoyami isn't going to let anyone beat him."

"Oh? Why is that?" she asked curiously.

"Because he still has a promise to keep."

Ashido was intrigued. She was about to ask more into the topic, but was cut off when Present Mic announced the start of the match. "Sixth Match! Begin!"

In a startling display of speed, Dark Shadow surged forward, careening straight at Yaoyorozu who was caught off guard by the speed of the Quirk. She responded by creating a shield in an effort to block. The resulting impact caused her to stumble back slightly, clearly underestimating the force behind it.

"This is bad," he said grimly, watching Dark Shadow attack again. The shadow crashed back into Yaoyorozu who was clearly having trouble adapting to the situation. Kinus's eyes flickered towards Tokoyami and noted that compared to his opponent, the bird was calm, collected and obviously had a clear strategy in mind.

Dark Shadow charged once more, this time colliding with Yaoyorozu's shield with a such a force that it broke the girl's guard entirely. The shield she held in her hands was sent flying off to the side, landing on the floor with an audible metallic clang. Yaoyorozu created another shield just in the nick of time as Dark Shadow lunged once again, sending her skidding back by the sheer force behind it.

"Well, I suppose that's that," he remarked. "I can't believe how fast that match went."

Uraraka turned her head to face him, surprised at his comment. "How can you say that? The match has just started."

Kinus was going to answer why, but instead let Midnight answer for him, pointing to her figure at the stage.

"Yaoyorozu! You're out! This match goes to Tokoyami," Midnight announced, raising her whip.

Kinus smiled, watching as Tokoyami respectfully bowed and walked away, leaving a stunned Yaoyorozu behind. Even Uraraka was taken by surprise at the thing she missed.

"Yikes! Another fast overwhelming victory! Is it possible that Tokoyami's Dark Shadow is the greatest Quirk ever? I think so!" Present Mic's voice rang across the stadium alongside the cheers of the audience.

"Tokoyami's way too powerful," Midoriya said, breaking his silence. The boy had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the entire match. "I can't believe he forced her out of bounds just by focusing his attacks on her shield. He obviously had a strategy worked out.|

"Yeah, I guess so. Maybe he didn't want to hurt her," Ojiro suggested. "I bet she's really upset at how that went down. I feel bad for her. I can kind of understand how that would feel…" Ojiro commented.

"What's worse is that it only took four hits for her to go down," Kinus added. He glanced at his classmates who were now just realizing this. "Tokoyami didn't even take a single step from his position."

"Whoa…" Iida said, amazed at the dragon's statement.

Midoriya quickly turned back to his notes, scribbling furiously on the pages.

"Well I'll make sure to not go down without a fight like that!"

Everyone turned their heads to see Ashido stand up. The students of Class 1A all gave their support for the girl, who was then followed by Aoyama who was flamboyantly waving at them as he normally did.

A few moments later, a content Tokoyami and a somewhat dejected looking Yaoyorozu entered the fray. "You'll get it next time, Yaoyorozu," Jiro said, doing her best to cheer her friend up. Yaoyorozu nodded, sitting back down on her seat silently. It would seem her defeat was still sinking into her.

"Congratulations on winning," Kinus remarked as Tokoyami sat back down next to him.

"Thank you," he responded. "I'm glad that it all went according to plan."

"Look at you, strategizing," Kinus teased, gently jabbing the bird on the shoulder. "You're making me a bit nervous now."

The bird just chuckled in response. "I learned from the best."

"We're going to the final match we have for the Top 16!" Present Mic announced, earning cheers from the crowds. "Let's hope that gaudy belt he has serves some kind of purpose. Yuga Aoyama from the hero course! Versus! Is there some kind of purpose for those horns on her head? From the same class, Mina Ashido!"

"Come on, Mina! You can do it!" Tsuyu said, showing her support for her friend.

"DON'T SHOW ANY MERCY, AOYAMA!" Mineta exclaimed, seemingly coming from a place of contention. "Beat her like in those fighting games where their clothes get ripped off!"

"You pervert!" Jiro scolded.

Kinus just shook his head disapprovingly, turning his attention back to the match at hand.

"A match between Aoyama and Ashido," Midoriya said, mumbling to himself as he checked his notes, "Considering their Quirks, Aoyama will probably attack from a distance with his laser. This fight will hinge on whether or not Ashido can close the distance between them and use her Quirk against him in close combat. Problem is, there's no cover for her to use in this ring so she might be at a slight disadvantage."

"Now! Let's get started!" Present Mic said, directing everyone's attention back to the center stage. "Final match! Start!"

Kinus watched with curiosity as the match started, Aoyama starting things off by firing off his naval laser directly at Ashido. He was taken a bit off guard at how easily Ashido dodged the attack, before quickly skating off to the side. "It's like she's ice skating…" he commented, noting that the pink haired girl was scooting across the hard cement.

"Her acid Quirk is flowing through her shoes," Midoriya added, making a scribble on his notes. "There's no cover around, but being very mobile like this will make things harder for Aoyama."

Sure enough, the boy's analysis was on the mark. What soon followed was a session of Aoyama aiming, then taking a shot at Ashido who easily bobbed and weaved, ducking and jumping whenever needed.

"I think she's been stealing some of your skating flair, Hazani," Tokoyami added, a smirk across his face.

The dragon chuckled as they continued to watch the light show that Aoyama was subjecting them to. Inevitably, Aoyama's weakness made itself known as using his Quirk too much would make make his stomach hurt. Ashido quickly capitalized on this, closing the gap between them and knocking the poor boy out with a strong left uppercut.

"Aoyama has fainted! The winner of this match is Ashido!" Midnight proudly announced.

"Ashido's easy victory is indisputable, sports fans!" Present Mic happily added, as the crowd cheered for the pink haired girl who was celebrating her victory in the middle of the ring.

"Wow, Mina's amazing," Tsuyu commented, happy for her friend.

A loud thump made everyone turn their heads to see Mineta shaking frustratedly in his seat. "I got to see panties...but why were they his…?!"

"Oh for crying out loud," Jiro responded disapprovingly.

"The match unfolded like I thought it would," Midoriya said, continue to mumble to himself as he wrote more in his notebook, "but I definitely underestimated Ashido, although now that I think about it, she did place ninth in the Quirk Assessment Test. She has a great power, but she won because of her physical strength…"

Kinus tapped Midoriya on the shoulder, making the boy jump in surprise. "Hey, shouldn't you be preparing for your next match? Aren't you up next after this?"

"Oh that's right," Iida added, turning to face Midoriya. "You're fighting against Todoroki, correct?"

Midoriya nodded, and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I am." He then closed his notebook and placed it on his seat as he stood up. "Now that you guys brought it up, I'm kind of nervous."

"You'll do fine, Midoriya," Tokoyami said, giving the boy some support.

"Yeah, you did well against Shinso," Kinus added, and then realized that maybe that wasn't the best phrase to use, "well enough. The point is, I'm sure you've got this all figured out."

The boy lightly chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Thanks, Hazani. I'll be going now."

"Good luck, Deku!" Uraraka cheered. "You better win this one!"

The group watched Midoriya wave at them, before disappearing out of view. Urarka was the first to break the silence between them. "I'm nervous for him."

"I am too," Iida added, the supportive smile he had before gone and was now doubtful. "But we should trust, Midoriya."

Trying to lighten up the mood, Kinus then said, "Think of it this way, when the match starts, all Midoriya has to do is flick his finger, and literally blow Todoroki out of the ring! Plain and simple, right?"

"Easier said than done, Hazani," Tokoyami added. "Todoroki isn't going to let himself lose that easily."

"I know…" Kinus said, trying to remain positive. Even he himself was feeling a bit nervous for Midoriya. While Midoriya had a powerful Quirk, it wasn't exactly the most consistent, from he saw of him. If anything, it was like a double edged sword. Powerful, but it left the boy injured almost immediately after. That was a severe drawback. On the other hand, Todoroki was better in almost every aspect. Having fought against him back then, he knew first hand what the boy could do. He was formidable both up close and from afar. Midoriya had his work cut out for him.

The dragon could only wonder what was going to happen next.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **HEY GUYS! I'M ALIVE XD**

 **Sorry about that. I apologize for the impromptu hiatus. I admit, it was mainly because I wanted to do Kamakiri justice and be as close in line to the manga as much as possible. Thankfully, he just debuted in the manga as of this posting, and oh boi, he's basically Wolverine. He got them blades in his hands, and he's not afraid to use them. That said, I already had this chapter written WAY BACK in September, but held back on it because of reasons mentioned above. I just had Kamakiri written with a placeholder Quirk that a friend of mine suggested, and it turns out, the OC Quirk I gave him wasn't that far off from the canon Quirk.**

 **So rewriting things weren't all that complicated. Though, I did make good use of my hiatus. I used it to write my thesis (yes, College, ugh) and so far it's going well. Chapter 1 and 2 of said educational papers are coming along nicely. Hopefully it stays that way.**

 **But yes!**

 **There you have it folks! The Top 16 matches are finally over! I hoped you like the fight scene I wrote with Kinus. It was admittedly challenging to write the fight scene, but ultimately enjoyable, as I just get to show how Kinus can stack up against other Quirk users who also utilize weapons as much as he does. This dragon boy still has a lot to learn after all.**

 **That fight scene between him and Kamakiri had numerous rewrites because I wasn't sure if I was making the fight "too anime" or even "too bare" compared to previous fights. I wanted it to be exciting, and at the same time, still easy to follow, and something you'd see in the show. I hope it was to your guys liking. :D I definitely had fun writing it, that's for sure. I personally wish we'd get characters in the show that are kind of like Kinus or Kamakiri, in the sense that they'd use weapons to fight. I just love a good well choreographed fight scene, something MHA admittedly lacks. Don't get me wrong, the fight scenes are great in their own right, but it's lacking that crazy punch, dodge, kick, evade, one two three snap you see in other shows. But that's just my take on it. Still love MHA to death. 3**

 **Now for the Top 8! It's only going to get more exciting from here on out. Will Kinus get knocked out? Will Tokoyami get to fight his friend? Who will come out on top in the Sports Festival? I hope you guys are just as excited as I am to find out the conclusion to all of this.**


End file.
